Five Little Blue Stones
by fromtheleft
Summary: Stella Villanueva can handle a lot of things. She's a pro at dealing with fire, yelling, and obnoxious people. What she can't handle is a bus crash that leads her and her ex-boyfriend/current almost-best friend to a group of rambunctious Dwarrows. But she does her best.
1. Chapter 1

The sun was glaring off the gleaming gate that acted as a barrier in the middle of the busy street. There, waiting among the other travelers on the sidewalk, stood a young woman. She squinted against the brightness of the day as she gathered all of her hair to the top of her head so she could uselessly wave a hand to the back of her neck in a pathetic attempt to cool off. She lamented her decision to leave behind her sunglasses at home but she never did care for having things on her face. Her backpack felt as if it was getting heavier and heavier each moment longer she had to have it hanging from her shoulders. It was on such unbearably hot days that she despised being a full-time student with no car. She could have handled the weight of all her books if she didn't have to take the bus every single day. Or she wouldn't have minded taking the bus every day if she didn't have to haul around so many textbooks.

Stella Villanueva ignored the man who was attempting to speak to her, throwing him an uncomfortable smile that she was sure looked more like a grimace than anything else, as she adjusted the straps of her backpack. When the man was in the middle of a sentence, she turned about face and shuffled away to stand further down the sidewalk next to a man whom she saw on the bus every day but never actually spoke to. He offered her a comforting glance but did nothing to help her. Stella didn't actually expect him to help, for people rarely did, but being around a familiar presence was still nice.

She released a sigh of relief when the bus turned around the corner, as she was eager to get away from aggressive strangers and the even more aggressive heat. After stepping on the bus, she glanced around for an empty seat. Her gaze froze on one particular dark figure and her lips twitched up along the corners as she made her way towards him. Stella had no doubt who it was, considering she only knew one idiot who was dumb enough to wear a leather jacket on such a hot day.

She plopped herself down in the seat next to young man and yanked his headphones off. "Hello, worthless human."

He rolled his eyes before grudgingly putting his headphones away in his pocket. He greeted in return, "Hello, bride of Satan."

Stella's smirk melted into a wide smile as she wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned her head upon his shoulder. He reeked of cigarettes. The smell was disgusting but familiar. "It's good to see you again, Lorenzo."

He wrapped an arm around Stella's shoulders in return, making a point to send the man who had been pestering the woman at her stop and began to glare at Lorenzo an obscene single fingered gesture. "It's been a while since I've seen your perpetually startled face. You heading home?"

"Yeah. What about you?" Stella asked, flicking the cuff of his jacket before tugging his dark red scarf with a grimace. "Aren't you hot?"

"You're going home, I'm going to school. Just thought I'd take a different bus route today," he informed her as he slapped Stella's hands away. "And no, I'm not. It was cool this morning."

"That was this morning, idiot," she rolled her eyes as she straightened up.

"I'm suddenly remembering why I didn't miss you," he sighed as he pulled away from her.

"Shut up," Stella laughed. "I'm still the coolest ex-girlfriend you've ever had."

His face remained neutral as his eyes flickered to the side so he could peer over to Stella. A person who did not know Lorenzo well would have thought him irritated with the girl. But such a person would never have captured the faint curl of his lips that lingered for the briefest of moments before he turned away to tap the case of his violin that sat in his lap. It used to irritate Stella that she had to hunt down the smallest hints of emotions on his usually expressionless face but since their break-up, she had managed to make a game out of it.

"You have a point there," he conceded, making Stella beam. "I mean, what other guy can say he has a girl who does a weird dance gig with fire for an ex?"

"It's not weird," her eyes hooded over in exasperation.

"The shortest, sweetest girl I know gets paid to swing around things lit on fire for the entertainment of anybody willing to pay. It's pretty weird."

"What does short and sweet have anything to do with fire dancing?" Stella let out a small laugh as she stared past his shoulder to look out the window.

As tiresome as taking the bus everyday could be, Stella could not ignore the sense of tranquility that overcame her when she took the bus home. There was a long stretch of road in the middle of the city that was absent of crowds of people and buildings. Dry bushes, dying trees, and the smallest trickle of a stream was all that existed by that road. It was unbearable to walk through but was quite beautiful to look at when driving by. Stella's favorite part was the small bridge that went over the deepest part of the stream. When the bus went over that bridge, it always felt like the bus was floating and she could pretend that she was being sent somewhere else. Stella smiled to herself at the thought of the approaching bridge before focusing back on Lorenzo.

"I just think of you as this girl who is short and sweet with a face that always looks surprised and your twig arms - "

"Oh, thank you," she interrupted with an eye roll.

He continued on as if she hadn't spoken, "And I don't think, 'Oh, she's a fire dancer.' You look more like a ballerina, if anything."

Stella bit the inside of her cheek "Well…I guess. But I never thought – "

But Stella never did get the chance to tell Lorenzo what she thought. Just as they were less than halfway across her favorite bridge, a horrendously loud noise echoed in the bus before the bus lurched violently to the side. She was thrown out of her seat and into the aisle with Lorenzo landing painfully on top of her. She flailed for a moment to grab the seat above her and watched in horror was the driver struggled to gain control of the wheel. But before he could, the bus broke the flimsy barrier of the bridge. And then they were flying in the air.

Lorenzo's arms were painfully tight around Stella's waist. He curled his form over hers, making the both of them fold into a small ball. Under the sound of the screaming from the other passengers, she could barely hear his voice in her ear.

"Stay with me, Stella."

Before they hit the ground, all she could do was grip his hand tightly in hers.

* * *

The first thing that immediately came to her mind when Stella woke up was that her back was killing her. She groaned out load as she turned on her side to remove the pain. Landing and laying on top of a full backpack was never meant to be comfortable. The second thing that came to her mind was the uncomfortable presence of dirt. When she turned on her side and took a deep breath, she immediately began to choke on all the dirt that went down her airway. After she caught her breath, she lifted her head up to get an idea of where she was.

Her brow furrowed at the lush trees that towered over her. The gorge the bus crashed in was gray and brown and filled with dry bushes. The clearing she was in depicted the exact opposite of that with its thriving greenery. Maybe the stream under the bridge had a stronger current than Stella thought and carried her away after the crash. That would explain the lack of a crash site. But there was nothing to explain, that if that were the case, why her clothes were dry and why there was no river, stream, or any presence of water at all around her. Stella squinted in the sunlight as she weakly pushed herself up. In the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a curled up ball of dark clothing.

"Lorenzo!" she called out, scrambling up to her knees so she could crawl over to him.

When she reached him, Stella pushed him onto his back so she could see if there were any injuries. After carefully peeling back his jacket and scarf, she was relieved to note that despite a vague grimace on his face, he was curiously absent of any injuries. Like Stella, he didn't even have a scratch or a bruise on him. His head tilted towards her hand as she smoothed his hair back in an attempt to coax him awake.

"Lorenzo," she shook his shoulder. When his eyes fluttered opened, she snapped her fingers in his face to wake him up faster and to gain his attention. "Come on, Zo."

"Stell?" his voice croaked. "We're alive?"

"Alive and lost," she said grimly.

"Lost?" he repeated as he sat up, rubbing his middle fingers at his temples.

"I don't know where we are or how we got here," she told him. "There isn't a bus crash, we aren't in the gorge, and there's nothing that could have brought us here."

"Try your cell?" he asked, already pulling his phone out of his pocket.

She pulled her backpack off her shoulders to dig in for her phone. She was glad to see that she had a decent amount of battery left but was dismayed to see that there was absolutely no signal in the area. She put her phone away and heavily sighed, "Nothing."

"Same," Zo said softly as he tapped the edge of his phone to his lips. "What are we going to do?"

"I guess we walk and look for others."

He nodded with another sigh and helped Stella up from the ground. After shrugging her backpack back on, they briefly took a moment to search for Zo's violin before finding it in a nearby bush. Immediately, the tick in his jaw relaxed and he stroked the black case with a ring-covered hand. He wouldn't want her to ask so she didn't. Stella knew that his violin was important to him but she never knew why. All she needed to know was that it was precious to him so she always left it at that.

And then they walked. They walked for hours through the trees but they never saw anything or anyone that may have been on the bus with them. The sun was slowly moving across the sky but thankfully, wherever they were, it was not as hot as it was downtown.

"Stella, what if we're here for a while?" Zo asked a few hours after they woke up, checking his phone again for the tenth time and being disappointed that there was still no signal.

"I don't know, honey," she cleared her throat so she could ignore the dryness.

They quickly made it clear that Stella was the only one who had food and water. But the little food she had was only a couple bags of chips and half a sandwich, which was only meant to get through the small twinges of hunger that she felt in-between her classes. She only had half a bottle of water and they had yet to come across any water. They agreed to save the water for when they would really need it.

Stella and Zo only ever saw each other once in a blue moon. They used to be close during high school and dated very briefly after but they were always extremely affectionate with each other, despite how long they could go without seeing each other. After waking up, Zo never did let go of her hand and she quickly reverted back to their usual pet names. Maybe their closeness was the reason why they could never introduce the partners they had after they dated to each other. Stella had a tendency to date jealous guys and Zo had a tendency to be a bit distant from whatever partner he had so whenever they all met together, their partners immediately disliked how well the two got along. As unfortunate as it might have been, Stella never regretted or questioned how weird it was that they still were close after they broke up. She always thought it was just a sign that they were meant to be great lovers but even greater friends. So that was how they kept it.

"Okay, now it's hot as hell," Zo finally admitted as he adjusted the case on his back.

They had only been walking for an hour when the heat finally got to him, though he refused to say so. Stella's only indication that he thought so was when he abruptly let go of her hand to peel off his jacket and scarf. After carrying both in one hand and his violin in the other, he eventually got tired and cleverly used his scarf to tie his folded jacket and violin to his back. Stella jealously glared at his seemingly light load and briefly debated if she should dump her textbooks or not. They cost a lot of money but were unbearably heavy. She already left her sandals behind long ago. She was far more comfortable walking through the grass barefoot anyway.

Before she could ask him to stop so she could pull out her books, the sound of a howl filled the air. "What the fuck?" Zo spoke out her thoughts. "Is that a coyote or something?"

"I don't know. It might be."

"This is getting too fucking weird and it's pissing me off," Zo kicked at a tree.

"You're telling me. If only we could -"

Stella was cut off by loud growling. The both of them immediately froze before slowly turning around. There in front of them was the ugliest animal Stella ever saw. Its huge muscles ripped underneath its matted fur as it stalked towards the two of them. Its teeth were black and dripping with saliva as it snarled at them. Its dark eyes glittered maliciously, keeping Zo in its sight, clearly marking him as the bigger threat or the most entertaining.

"Stella," Zo spoke lowly. "Please tell me you're still as fast as you were in track."

The sound of another, dreadful howl in the distance made Stella flinch, causing the animal to look towards her.

"God, I hope so."

"On three, about face?" he asked.

"Got it."

The sound of the animal's growling increased as it stalked closer. It kept switching its gaze between the both of them. And then, all at once, all the sounds stopped. Beyond the cease of growling, the birds that they had been hearing earlier stopped singing.

"Three!"

At Lorenzo's voice, Stella immediately whirled around and tore after him through the trees. The vicious snarl of the beast roared in her ears before its trampling form followed behind them. Before that moment, Stella always resented having to join the track team in high school. Her legs were too short for her to be considered too fast so she was useless in the shorter runs but Stella was lucky enough to have high endurance. Her parents only made her try out because they thought she needed something to do after school and it would look good on college applications. She never thought she would actually be in a situation where she had to use her training to actually save her life.

Thank God for persistent and annoying coaches.

Her heart almost burst out of her chest when Stella felt sharp teeth grasp her long skirt. Thankfully, her skirt was made out of thin, sheer material so it easily ripped out of the beast's mouth as she jumped over bush to get away. But her brief relief did not last long when Stella and Zo were forced to split up by a large tree that they hadn't the time to move around together. She could feel her gut sink when the beast made the quick decision to chase after her friend instead of her.

Stella could barely hear Zo tearing through the forest and the animal running after him over the sound of her own heavy breathing. She stumbled and almost fell onto her hands and knees when a searing pain shot up from her foot but she pushed herself to keep going. Preparing herself for anything that could happen next, she shifted course so she would run into the pair. It was difficult to estimate where she could run through the trees so she would be at Zo's side instead of the beast's.

She was lucky enough to run into Zo but unfortunately, she literally ran into him, causing them to move off course. They both stumbled for a moment before continuing to run. The other beast that they heard earlier howled again. Stella could only hope that there were only two and not a pack. Just when she was beginning to think that we would never be able to get away, Stella and Zo ran into them.

"Shit, fuck, short dudes with sharp things!" Zo cursed as they skidded to a stop.

There before them was the most bizarre group of men Stella had ever seen. She had neither the patience nor the time to count them but, curiously, the some of them were her height. More than a few were even a few inches shorter, which she found interesting, considering Stella barely brushed the five feet tall mark. Even more interesting, besides their strange clothes, was the fact that they all carried large amount of weapons ranging from swords to axes to bows and arrows.

They were joined by a man who had to be more than a head shorter and two tall men in robes. At first glance, the taller of the two appeared more peculiar with his long gray robes, which could not have been comfortable in the slightly warm weather, and his long staff and pointed hat. Stella had to double glance at the other. He could have blended in with the tress. If she wasn't trying to catch her breath, Stella would have gagged when she noticed the bird droppings on his hat. And, oh, God, really? It was dripping into his hair and it was caked to his face.

They all appeared to be in the middle of a serious discussion when Stella and Zo fell into their group. The tall man in gray was about to speak when the familiar sound of growling was hear above them.

Stella could feel the beast's presence before she saw it. Its malicious gaze sent an ominous chill down her spine. In her mind, she could see it crouching down, ready to pounce. There was no getting away from it this time. Her legs were frozen and her lungs were burning. What would her dad think when they told him that she was never coming home?

And in a moment that went by too quickly for Stella to entirely comprehend, her arm was grabbed by one of the shorter men and she was roughly yanked into him. He slightly pushed Stella behind him but did not let go as he kept a large arm around her waist as she clung to his shoulders. He took a quick step back and the beast pounced. One of them lifted a long sword and brought it down upon the beast and it did not come back up. She could hear Zo cursing as another one of the beasts came from another direction. Stella clenched her eyes shut and hid behind both the man's and her hair. An arrow flew past them and the beast fell but shifted to make its way back up. With one arm, the man holding her lifted his sword and cut the animal down. The beast snarled once before it abruptly fell silent. She slowly lifted her head up, eyes and mouth wide in shock, but she did not let go of the man. Her hair fell from where it had flipped over his head.

"Well, fuck, double tap for safety," Zo called from the back.

"Excuse me?" one of them asked not unkindly.

"It might just be down from pain. It could still be alive and eat us."

"Trust me, lad, if we say they're dead, they're dead," he answered with a smile that did not seem appropriate.

"What the hell are those things?" Stella asked, making all of them look at her. The one that held her quickly let go and stepped aside with a glare. "Is it a wolf-bear hybrid? Oh, God, is the Army doing experiments?"

"Stell, you watch too many movies," Zo shook his head, making her glare at him.

Before she could retort, one of the older men, or so he seemed with his long white beard, cast her a curious expression and asked, "You've never heard of a warg, lass?"

"Warg?" she scoffed. "Yeah, sure, Tolkien."

"Who?"

"Wargs don't exist. If they do, then I am Thorin Oakenshield."

"No, I believe I am him," the dark one with a glare that only her mother – and by extension, Stella – would be able to resist stepped forward.

She stared at him unimpressed before rolling her eyes. "Fine, be Thorin. Nobody likes Thorin anyway. Too arrogant and moody. I'll be Bilbo! Everyone loves a nice hobbit."

At her statement, the entire group looked startled before whirling around to look at the smallest man, the dark one, or the tallest one. The tallest one rested both hands on his staff but said nothing as his eyes flickered between Stella and Zo.

"You're such a fucking nerd," Zo sighed as he rested his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

"Shut up," Stella snapped before whirling back around to face the older man, who appeared to be the nicest so far. "Can those things climb trees?"

"No, but they can wait and can be quite clever when they wish to be," he answered after casting a hesitant look to the dark one.

"Well, fuck," the girl chirped with a wide, forced smile. "I hope you can do the stabby thing again because there are more of those coming. Let's go, Zo."

Before Stella could push Zo in another direction, they were stopped by the blade of the drawn out sword from the dark one. His glare never faltered, "Who are you and why did you bring those things with you?"

With another roll of her eyes, she pushed the sword away from her. "Look, pal, I've had a long day and I don't have the desire to be killed by freaky animals because a cosplayer with a superiority complex wanted to play games. We're leaving."

"Who are you and why did you bring wargs with you?" he repeated, bringing up his sword again.

"Who we are is none of your business and those things have been following us for almost half an hour. We're lost, idiot," she snapped before pushing forward.

"Young lady, it would benefit the both of you to come along with us. You have no weapons. We will keep you both alive if you agree to some questions that I would like to hear answered," the tallest one spoke, causing the dark one to glare at him. Like her mother would have been, the tall one was unperturbed by the fiery stare.

"Protection for interrogation," she muttered before casting a silent stare to Lorenzo, who gave an indiscernible nod of his head. "Fine."

"I doubt two people dressed in such a manner would bring wargs with them," the man said before he turned to the dark one. Stella furrowed her brows in confusion at his statement and Zo simply shrugged. "Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?"

"No one," replied the dark one.

"Who did you tell?" the tall one repeated furiously.

The dark one's eyes flickered towards Lorenzo and Stella before quickly confirmed, "No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?"

The tall one went grim before answering seriously, "You are being hunted."

"We have to get out of here," the one who held Stella spoke up.

Two of the shorter ones ran down a small hill and landed up on a boulder, calling out, "We can't! We have no ponies; they bolted."

The man in the long brown robes stepped forward and said, "I'll draw them off."

The tall one whirled around in exasperation. "These are Gundabad wargs. They will outrun you."

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits," he answered as he shot a thumb over his shoulder and smirked defiantly. "I'd like to see them try."

Apparently, that meant something substantial, considering the mildly impressed look the tall one cast him before nodding his head. He shuffled all of the shorter ones together before shoving us through the trees. The one in brown hopped on a sled that was being pulled by the strangest looking rabbits Stella had ever seen. She shared a begrudged stare with Lorenzo before they adjusted our load on their shoulders in unison and followed behind.

The tall one, who Stella assumed to be a Gandalf cosplayer, led them to a huge rock that was just outside the edge of the forest. An entire pack of grotesque looking men on more beasts lingered at the edge. She could see the leaves on the trees and bushes moving before the brown one – a Radagast, maybe – flew through the trees on his rabbit-driven sled, laughing wildly. He goaded the disgusting men, who followed after him without a second thought.

The Gandalf beckoned everyone in the opposite direction and they continued running. As they ran, they would often stop to hide behind the huge boulders whenever they noticed the warg riders in the distance on the plains. A few times, one of the men would accidentally run ahead and had to be pulled back to avoid being seen. Lorenzo and Stella stayed in the middle of the group, mostly of their own free will because they had no idea where the men were heading (to be honest, Stella didn't think even they knew) and they had no desire to be left behind.

Her endurance had fallen to shit and she was cringing at the searing pain in her side as Zo dragged her along. She was glad when they had fallen against another boulder. She automatically slapped a hand over her mouth to smother her heavy pants when the men fell silent and growling was heard above them. Zo's hand found hers and Stella's eyes clenched shut when the one with the arrows shot down another beast. The others descended upon the animal to finish it off after it fell. Stella lamented over the fact that she did not have more hands so she could cover her ears to block out the sound of weapons entering flesh and bones crunching. With a groan, she pushed off the boulder and they continued running faster than they were before. But before they knew it, they were surrounded by the ones who chased them.

Trying not to give them too much attention, Stella nudged Zo and beckoned him to follow her after she noticed the Gandalf had seemingly disappeared between gaps in the rocks. They followed behind, leaving the men wondering where they went, to find the Gandalf crouching over a deep hole.

"Think it's a decent escape?" she asked.

He peered at her from over his shoulder before replying, "I believe it is worth a try."

"Okay, so let's get out of here," Zo said before he jumped down the hole.

"Young man-" the Gandalf started to speak but Zo had already walked out of visual.

"Zo can take care of himself," she assured him. "He's managed so far and he's still got a long way to go."

The Gandalf assessed her from under heavy gray eyebrows before nodding. She nodded back before drawing her attention back to the hole, where Zo had reappeared.

"It's safe," he called up. "Come on, Stell."

Without hesitation, Stella jumped down, wincing as she felt sharp rocks embed themselves into her leg. Zo helped her up and led her over to a wall to lean against before he knelt down to lift her skirt up to her knees so he could brush away the debris. He froze when he noticed the trail of blood she was leaving behind. He coaxed her into lifting her leg to reveal her torn foot. He hissed in sympathy but she waved him away and waited as he reluctantly wandered down the path. With raised eyebrows, Stella watched the men fall down the hole. There was a brief lull and then the last two fell down with a hideous man with an arrow in his back following behind. Just then, a peculiar sounding horn was heard, causing all the men to glance around before the dark one approached the body on the ground. Stella grimaced as the dark man yanked out the arrow and carefully assessed it.

"Elves," he spat out before tossing aside the arrow.

"Boy!" one called out, causing everyone to whirl around to stare over at Zo, who only calmly turned around with a bored look. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Do you want to stay in this hole?" he replied tonelessly. "There's a path here."

The man with the most tattoos stepped forward. After throwing Zo a suspicious glare, he studied the path before calling back, "I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?"

"Follow it, of course!" another man replied.

All of them shuffled out of the cavern to follow the path in single file. Zo leaned back to allow them to pass as he waited for Stella to approach him. By the time she limped over, his brows were furrowed together. He gently held her forearm between his thumb and index finger to hold her back before she could follow the others.

"I'm fine," she answered his unasked question softly so the others wouldn't hear. "Just a few scratches. I hope I never have to run again anytime soon."

"I feel that," he agreed with a sigh as he supported her with an arm around her waist.

They followed behind the men in silence, allowing their murmuring to wash over them. The path twisted and curled around, and at times, it felt too tight to squeeze through it if weren't for the push of the people behind them. No noise penetrated the tall stone towering above them. It was only when the sound of trickling water was heard that everyone hurried their pace. When they reached a break in the stone and stood in front of a sliver of a waterfall, they immediately fell quiet at the sight of the glowing city at the center of the valley. The men had growled under their breath at the sight but when the smallest man murmured the name of the city in awe, Stella shared a glance with Zo.

Cosplayers were one thing. An entire replica of Rivendell was just pushing it.

* * *

A/N: Yes, it's one of those stories in which a modern human falls dramatically into Middle Earth. I just hope that doesn't turn you away from my story.

I suppose this is the part where I add that I do not the disclaimer that I do not own The Hobbit or anything you may recognize as Tolkien's work.


	2. Chapter 2

Whoever was in charge of the architecture of the pseudo-Rivendell had to be given an award or something because it looked fantastic. Peter Jackson, eat your heart out. You should have hired this guy as set designer instead. The weird glow the Rivendell the movies showed was nothing on the weird glow of the city that was in front of the group. There had to be something in the stone or paint that reflected the sun because it was not natural. It couldn't be.

As they approached, Stella could hear singing and laughing from the trees. Zo's eyes slide over to meet hers before they quickly averted their stares to avoid laughing out loud. The men continued grumbling to each other as they crossed another narrow bridge. They regarded the singing, the architecture, even the trees with suspicion. Only the smallest man continued to stare at everything with blatant awe. After crossing the bridge, a voice called out to the Gandalf.

The long, dark-haired man was not unnaturally tall but his appearance was nonetheless startling. He looked as if he was stretched too far, like pulled taffy, before he settled into his new height. He held himself up well and barely regarded the group, his pale eyes briefly lingering on Stella and Zo, as the Gandalf greeted him in return. They exchanged a few words before the horn they heard earlier echoed behind them along with the sound of rushing hooves.

The men grouped tightly together, all unsheathing their weapons, as Stella and Zo quickly pulled away to join the Gandalf. He seemed to be greatly amused as the tall men on horses surrounded the group. The horses circled around before a long-haired man with a silver circlet dismounted and cheerfully greeted the Gandalf.

As they spoke, the men in the group muttered to themselves with disdainful expressions on their faces. After the man who claimed to be a Thorin stepped forward, the tall man welcomed everyone inside for a meal. They were all about to shuffle behind him when Zo stepped forward.

"Excuse me, sir," he caught the attention of the man with the circlet, who blinked in surprise at the sight of them. "Is there a place we can clean up? She's kind of bleeding."

The tall man's pale eyes slid from Zo's hand, after he gestured with a thumb out, towards Stella's direction. The man slowly assessed her disheveled appearance but she was not too uncomfortable with his gaze. She was far more focused on the stinging sensation on her leg and foot, and the sweat caked on her face. She leaned heavily on her uninjured leg to draw up her skirt in hopes that the cool air would ease the pain. His eyes immediately focused on her scratches before he nodded.

"I will heal your wounds," he smiled in reassurance. "Lindir will lead you to the healing room."

With a beckoning hand, the group followed behind the first tall man. Stella sighed at the sight of a flight of stairs. Without a word, Lorenzo peeled the backpack off her shoulders and hooked it over his violin case before he lifted the smaller girl into his arms.

"My hero," she snorted.

"Better believe it, Your Highness," he smirked as she shook her head. "I'm just your regular fucking knight in shining armor. Where the fuck is my white horse?"

"I think I'd rather see you on a black motorcycle," Stella smiled as she ran her fingers through his curls.

"It would complete the look," he conceded as he set her back on the ground after the climb of stairs was over.

"You'd be your standard tall, dark, and handsome asshole," she said as she accepted her backpack back.

"Handsome is all that I need," he grinned roguishly. "Did I tell you some dude tried to set me up with a modeling thing? Can you believe that?"

Stella leaned back to look up at him suspiciously. Lorenzo's attractiveness was always glaringly obvious. But after knowing him for almost six years, his handsomeness practically melted away. She knew him as a careless, annoying, respectful, wonderful jerk. Over time, his face simply became that. He became so much more than a pretty face. It was hard to believe that a loser like him would be offered a modeling contract but it was also not surprising at all.

"I can see that," she nodded. "You have a vaguely young Johnny Depp thing going on."

"Shut up," he said simply, making her smile.

After stopping in front of an open doorway, the Lindir turned towards Stella and said, "You may wait here for Lord Elrond. You will be healed and have a chance to wash before another will come to guide you to dinner."

"Thank you so much!" she smiled widely up at him before she limped inside the room.

Stella threw her backpack to the floor before she hopped on top of a table that seemed to be ready for her. Lorenzo followed behind and took off his own things before he sat down in a chair across the room. The Lindir cast him an uncertain look, as if he was fully expecting that Zo should remain with the rest of the group, but he cast Stella a small glance and then continued to lead the group away. The Thorin offered the both of them a dark glare that they couldn't be bothered to worry about before following, making the rest eager to continue on, despite the curious looks they cast Stella and Zo.

After they left, Stella leaned back to make sure they were entirely gone before she whipped around. "So what do you think, Zo? Is this Lord of the Rings LARPing thing weird or what?"

"You have no idea how mortified I am on your behalf that you even know about Lord of the Rings LARPing," he said before he closed his eyes as if he was in pain. "Fuck, I'm embarrassed that I even know what LARPing is."

"Fuck off," Stella said without malice. "But isn't this weird? Like, that dude seriously thinks he's Thorin Oakenshield."

"I think it's safe to say that everyone here is crazy," he shrugged, "but then again, it's not like people can get animals like that anywhere. And did you see those guys riding them? I mean, holy shit."

"This is all crazy," she shook her head. "I mean, a full out LARPing expedition for Erebor. You haven't seen the rest and even you know how badly that ends. Who the hell would want to roleplay that?"

"You know of their quest?" a voice asked from the doorway.

Lorenzo and Stella turned to see the Elrond, freshly changed into dark and beautiful robes, watching them curiously. His brows were furrowed together as he approached them. As he sat down, his gaze became far sterner, making Stella feel like a child that was about to reprimanded. A glare like Thorin's made her feel defiant. A glare from the man in front of her made Stella want to confess all her secrets. She bet his kids had a hell of a time with him. They probably couldn't get away with anything.

"Doesn't everybody?" she asked in return.

"Not at all, actually," he replied simply before he leaned forward to review the damage done to Stella's leg and foot. "Do you both know how their quest will end?"

"Her more than me," Zo answered. "She's only read the book a million times, probably."

"It is written in a book," he stated more than asked as he began to clean Stella's wounds.

"You should know." She winced as a sharp tingle came from her foot. She tried to convince herself that if it tingled painfully and itched, whatever he was doing was working. "The Elrond cosplay is awesome, by the way."

"I am not familiar with the term but if you believe my attire to be a disguise, I assure that it is not."

"So you want us to believe you're really Elrond and this is really Rivendell in Middle Earth?" She raised a brow.

"I ask that you do because that is who I am and that is where you are."

"Prove it," Zo narrowed his eyes at him.

"I have no way to change what you believe," the Elrond pulled away from her leg and pat it down with a soft cloth. "All I can do is tell you the truth."

Stella's eyes flickered down to her leg and she immediately froze at the sight that greeted her. She couldn't see the sole of her foot but she could see the side of her leg. The scratches had not completely disappeared but they were healed at a rate that simple was not possible. She doubted that she would even have pink lines by tomorrow and there was no way that it would even scar. Her arms trembled as they held her up after she fell back on her elbows. Lorenzo had stood up to see what startled Stella and stood behind Elrond in shock.

"Okay." She licked her lips after she swallowed down the thick lump in her throat. "So…you're not an Elrond. You're _the_ Elrond. Like, the real dude."

"I am," he nodded, although he still seemed a bit confused at Stella's wording. "I apologize if this is a shock to you."

"A shock?" Lorenzo scoffed. "I'm more convinced that instead of dying in a bus crash, we just inhaled some crazy fucking fumes and are hallucinating some intense shit."

"Why would you believe you are dead?" Elrond questioned.

"We fell off a bridge, landed in water, and woke up in a forest," Zo said frankly. "Seems like we're dead to me."

"Zo," Stella whimpered as she laid back and threw an arm over her eyes.

He hesitated for a moment before quietly saying, "It's more than likely. We're dead, Stella."

"Shut up. Just shut up," she whispered before releasing a shaky sigh. "I want my _tatay_."

It seemed a bit childish to call out for her father in the way Stella did when she was very young but in that moment, she never felt smaller. She wasn't dead. She couldn't be dead. She was only twenty years old and she refused to die knowing that the majority of her time was in school. How depressing. There was still so much she had wanted to do. So many places to go, things to do, people to meet. She wanted to graduate, she wanted to dance, she wanted to fall in love, she wanted to do horrendously sappy and cliché things. Stella couldn't be dead. She wasn't dead.

Stella needed her _nanay_ and _tatay_. She needed Ruth and Telma and Uri. Her parents, sisters, and brother would show Lorenzo. They'd tell him that she wasn't dead. She wanted his mom and brothers there, too. They would show him that he wasn't dead either.

When neither of them said anything more, Elrond asked, "Where is it that you originally hail from?"

"California. America. Earth," Zo answered simply.

Elrond considered this momentarily before nodding. "With your permission, I would like to inform Mithrandir and the Lady Galadriel of your plight. Perhaps with the three of us thinking it over together, we may find some explanation as to why you are here and find a solution."

After giving said permission, Elrond directed the both of them to wash rooms so that they could freshen up. Stella was assisted by a polite but quiet elleth, whose name she never was able to catch, and she helped her draw water into a tub so she could bathe before dinner. Her bath was relatively quick, as she wanted to avoid having time to herself to think about what exactly Lorenzo and Stella were doing in Middle Earth, of all places. By the time she washed, dried off, dressed into a borrowed dress, and was escorted to dinner, Lorenzo had already made himself comfortable at the table with a dinner plate filled with vegetables that he ate steadily as he ignored the suspicious glances of the Dwarves. When Stella walked in, the conversation halted and all suspicious glares turned towards her. She offered Elrond and Bilbo – the real Bilbo! – a smile as she walked past. She stole a piece of lettuce from Lorenzo's plate as she plopped down into her seat.

"Hands off the food, succubus," he lazily waved a hand when she reached for another piece.

"Succubus," Stella considered the word as she nibbled on the green leaf. "That one's new."

"I thought it fit you."

"Hmm, I prefer my official title," she said after thanking the elf that brought Stella her own plate of food.

"Oh, excuse me," he began sarcastically. "Please keep your filthy hands off my food, Your Royal Highness, Stella Ann Villanueva, Empress of the great land of San Diego."

"Well, since you said please," she said as she flipped her damp hair over her shoulder.

Zo let out a short, disbelieving laugh as he shook his head but said nothing more. After that, they fell quiet as they ate, with only the sound of Elves playing music behind them to wash over the group. At the end of the table, a familiar conversation regarding swords reached Stella's ears. She smiled to herself when she noticed Bilbo glance at something under the table. After giving the dwarf next to him a mildly offended look when he proclaimed he held a letter opener instead of a sword, she spoke up.

"May I see your blade, Mr. Baggins?" Stella asked politely, making the murmured conversation around her quiet down.

"Oh," he floundered for a moment, his eyes flickering down the table, before settling back on the girl across from him. "Yes, you may."

He lifted the blade over the table to hand it over to Stella. She held the small blade delicately as she soaked in its appearance. In her hands, she held Sting. The real Sting! Not some replica that could be found online for less than $50. It was more beautiful than she could imagine. She had not yet seen Orcrist or Glamdring but in that moment, she had yet to care about them. That Sting, the real Sting, in her hands, would be held by and defend the Frodo Baggins. The real Frodo Baggins!

"If you smile any wider, I might call you Cheshire," Zo rolled his eyes as he raised a glass of wine to his lips.

"Shut up, Zo," Stella said absently without taking her eyes off the sword. "Have you named it yet, Mr. Baggins?"

"I have not yet found a name proper for it," he stammered out.

"Oh, well," she eyes flickered knowingly towards Elrond and Gandalf before she looked Bilbo right in the eye, "I'm sure it shall prove its worth and earn its name in time."

After thanking him, Stella relinquished Sting back to its rightful owner. Bilbo had yet to relax from his flustered state, even after he had Sting back into his hands and she had continued to eat her dinner quietly. She watched from the corner of her eye as the one who had to be Kili threw flirtatious glances at the female elf playing the harp. A small smile curled at Stella's lips when he appeared to be properly ruffled at the accusing glare from the dwarf sitting across from him.

Stella noted that the glaring dwarf – well, the one she was currently giving her attention to – was also the one who had caught her earlier before killing the warg. There was only one dwarf he had to be and that was Dwalin. He certainly didn't look like the actor from the movies (none of them did) but he was still interesting to look at. His dark hair lied across his shoulders and blended in with his full beard. Thick braids rested on either side of his mouth and were clasped shut with silver beads. He was dressed rather casually in a green shirt. Stella could only assume that he stripped off the fur lined armor he was wearing earlier for dinner but he had left the most fascinating pair of brass knuckles she had ever seen on his hands. From his hands, her eyes traveled up to see the numerous scars decorating his forearms. Clearly, this dude was a badass and lived to see a lot of action. Of course he had. He was Dwalin. The real Dwalin…

He quickly looked her way and immediately caught Stella's eye. His eyes narrowed and he growled out, "What are you looking at?"

Stella could not help but smirk at him from over the cup of water she was sipping at. "I'm looking at you."

Before he could respond, a white-haired dwarf – could this be the real Balin? – interrupted with a polite inquiry, "So you are royalty, lass?"

Stella stilled in her seat as Lorenzo snorted into his cup. She turned to stare at the dwarf. He couldn't be ignorant to sarcasm but perhaps Zo was laying it on a bit thick earlier.

She licked her lips and said seriously, "Yes. Yes, I am."

"If she's royalty, then I'm a virgin," Zo drawled.

"Why, Lorenzo, since when? Did you get baptized and become a born-again virgin?" Stella asked innocently. "Oh, wait, that's not possible. Holy water would burn you."

"You can go suck a fuck," he said without malice.

"You're going to have to tell me how exactly one does suck a fuck. I'm sure you're just so knowledgeable about it," she retorted with an angelic look on her face.

"I swear, if it wasn't for your outstanding ability to come up with quick comebacks, our friendship would have been over before it began," he shook his head.

"Zo, why are you so afraid to love me?" Stella asked with a small pout.

With a roll of his eyes, he ignored his friend and instead turned to address maybe-Balin. "She's not a real Empress. But, for the love of God, don't fucking tell her that to her face. Don't let that innocent face and twiggy arms fool you. One time, I couldn't walk for a month after she – "

"Lorenzo Marchesi," Stella broke into the conversation. "Are you trying to make me unlikeable?"

"Would never dream of it, dearest," he leaned back into his seat before he grimaced. "Fuck, you sound just like Mama when you say my name like that."

"Thank you," she beamed proudly.

"You two are the most peculiar beings I have ever come across," a dwarf Stella could not identify as of yet said slowly as he squinted at them, like he could figure them out if he did that.

"Thank you," she repeated, with Lorenzo speaking in unison with her.

When she noticed that Thorin turned his dark gaze our way and opened his mouth to speak, Stella immediately addressed the head of the table. "Lord Elrond, would you like to speak to Lorenzo and me tonight or at a later date?"

He gave an amused glance at the glaring Thorin before answering. "Immediately after you are finished with your meal, if that pleases you."

"It pleases me greatly," the young woman chirped cheerily. "I am finished now. You, Zo?"

"Hold on," he said as he filled his cup to the brim with wine. "I have a feeling I'll have to be shitfaced drunk for this."

"I'm not taking care of you again if you do," she frowned at him as they stood up together.

"I didn't ask you to."

If Stella could sneer at him without looking ridiculous, she would have. "You're going to have a headache in the morning and I am going to torment you."

"Yeah, I hate you, too. Let's go," he waved at hand to hurry her along.

He paused for a moment before leaning across the table to bring the pitcher of wine with him. Stella could only sigh and shake her head at him. As Gandalf and Elrond followed them out, they all pointedly ignored the seething glare that burned their backs from the used-to-be prince.

* * *

The room was still after Stella retold their story. Zo was tremendously unhelpful as he situated himself in the corner of the room to drink himself stupid. Elrond, as he already had a vague idea of what happened, stood at his window with his back towards everyone and looked over his city in silence. As Stella spoke, Gandalf puffed at his pipe and stared off into a distance that only he could see. The Lady Galadriel, who was more beautiful than Stella ever could have imagined, gave the two strangers to Middle Earth her undivided attention. She split her time evenly as her piercing gaze switched between the both of them. None of other three gave any indication of what they were thinking of even if they believed Stella or not.

"This quest is a well-known story in your world," Gandalf finally spoke. "So you know the outcome of the attempt to reclaim Erebor."

"I do," Stella confirmed. "That, and more."

"More?" Elrond repeated. "What else do you know?"

"I know who Estel is," she said, pointedly staring at the elf-lord, who whirled around with eyes wide, "and what his fate will be."

"Then you know quite a bit," Gandalf stated more than asked.

"I'm not an obsessive fan to know, like, the total history of Middle Earth or whatever. Don't ask me about the first dark lord, whatever his name was, but I know enough," she shrugged. "And no, I won't tell you what I know."

"Be sure you do not," Lady Galadriel said. "It will be difficult for you. But it is a burden you must bear. Are you prepared for it?"

"I know how to keep secrets," Stella shrugged again.

"And you?" Elrond addressed Lorenzo.

"I tell too many outlandish stories for anybody to believe a word I say," he dismissed them with a flourish of his hand.

Stella would have been impressed with his passive nature if he hadn't waved the hand that held his drink. Lorenzo knew how to handle his liquor so either he drank more than she had been supervising or elvish wine was stronger than he was used to. With a small sigh at how he spilled wine down his hand and onto his pants, Stella turned back to the other three in the room.

"As sad as that is, it's true," she confirmed. "I've known him for years and there are still times that even I can't tell if what he's saying is true or not."

"I'm unreliable but at least I'm funny," Zo raised a glass as if to toast to himself.

After regarding Lorenzo with uncertainty, Gandalf and Elrond glanced at each other before moving on. They turned to consult with Galadriel in low voices, allowing Stella a moment to move to the window that overlooked Rivendell. The city was absolutely gorgeous. She adored San Diego with its beaches, its city, and its hidden finds but Rivendell was something else altogether. The two couldn't possibly be compared as they had two different kinds of beauty. As much as Stella wanted to go home, she was still glad that I had the opportunity to see a real Elvish city. If only she could see Lothlorien. Now that would have made her die a happy girl.

"If you know about Estel's future," Elrond's voice interrupted my thoughts, "you know about the future of Middle Earth."

"I do," Stella answered.

"So you know about the fate of Thorin and Company?" he continued.

"Yeah?" She turned her head to peer over at him from over her shoulder, not sure where the conversation was going.

"Does this quest affect Middle Earth?" he finally asked.

"Oh," she said softly. So that's what all the questioning was about. "Gandalf, out of all Middle Earth, out of all its inhabitants, out of all its hobbits, why did you specifically choose Bilbo Baggins?"

The Gray Wizard blinked at the random question as he readjusted himself in his seat. "Hobbits are quiet, light on their feet, and his family – his mother's side, at least – are prone to their own adventures. He was a logical choice."

"Any random Took would have been a fine choice," Stella rolled her eyes. "But why Bilbo?"

He cleared his throat before taking a hurried puff of his pipe. At the pressing gaze of Galadriel, his face slackened into an unreadable expression – Concern? Fear? Worry? – and he placed his pipe down to rub his hands together.

"Why Bilbo Baggins?" he repeated to himself absently. "Perhaps it is because I am afraid, and he gives me courage."

The room was quiet after his declaration. Sir Ian could make anybody's heart swell but the real Gandalf was making Stella's heart break. Gandalf's line in the movie was beautiful in the movie but hearing it whispered in person, like it was a secret forced from his very spirit, made the realization that this was all hideously real reverberate throughout Stella's entire being. Gandalf, to the girl, was always a symbol of strength. Even through his death – a pang echoed in her heart when she remembered that his death would not occur for quite some time and he didn't even know it – Gandalf rose again, more powerful than ever before. He continued on and he was the shining beacon of hope. Seeing him crumpled in a chair, admitting fear, dimmed his light a bit.

In a swift movement, Stella moved to his side before she knelt in front of him and grasped his gnarled hands. "You made the best choice with Bilbo. Erebor is important, Thorin is important, the entire Company is important. But reclaiming Erebor is just the edge of the tipping scale. Even though he will never realize it, Bilbo is by far the most important in all of this. His actions during the quest will be…"

"The beginning of the end?" Lorenzo helpfully offered.

"The beginning to new beginnings," she corrected with a small smile. Even though that small statement was risky enough, she had to let Gandalf know.

"Is the halfling really so important?" Galadriel asked.

"Trust me," Stella stood up to look her way. "Bilbo Baggins is definitely not half of anything. True glory and courage lies in the Baggins line."

"Is there…" Elrond hesitantly began to ask, "anything at all that you know about the quest that you deem unnecessary?"

"Are you asking if there is anything I would change?"

"Yes, I am."

"I don't know about unnecessary, but there are a few things I would like to not happen," she admitted, thinking upon two wide smiles and a burning glare. "But I have no idea how it would affect Middle Earth in the long run if I warned them."

"Or went with them?" Gandalf asked lightly.

Stella immediately narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you suggesting, old man?"

The three of them seemed to acknowledge each other without even so much as turning each others' way. Lady Galadriel finally said, "There have been some…unexplained events occurring near my home."

"The shiny tree place?" Zo asked.

"Lothlorien," Stella breathed out.

"There is a small portal that seems to have a mind of its own. It opens and closes at will. So far, only objects and animals come through. It will lead you home. I have seen you returning but only when Thorin and Company's quest is over."

"We can go home?" Stella grinned widely as Lorenzo dropped his cup on the stone floor in his scramble to stand up and join her at her side.

"Only one will go," she clarified slowly, her eyes drifting from the floor to gaze steadily upon Lorenzo.

Stella's brow furrowed in confusion as she shifted her gaze from Lady Galadriel to Zo. He had a stricken expression on his face as he blindly flailed to curl his long fingers around Stella's. And he wouldn't look at her. She kept switching between him and Galadriel, who would shoot Stella looks of sympathy, but Zo would never look at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stella finally asked.

"The future is not concrete," she said. "Any one of your decisions may affect if you return or not. But I looked into my mirror before I departed and I saw a man returning through the portal but I did not see a woman with him."

"So, what? Did I die or something? Is that why I'm not there?" she asked, making Zo's grip on her hand tighten.

"No. You were elsewhere."

"I chose to stay?"

"Apparently so. The future is never permanently set. However, no matter how I approached the situation, I never saw a woman returning. It was always and only the man."

"Can't we just go to Lothlorien and wait it out?" Zo asked.

"I would offer such a thing if I could guarantee that the portal would actually open on that precise time. I cannot."

"Okay." Stella swallowed down the thick lump in her throat as she set a hand protectively over her stomach. She didn't want to be over-dramatic and cry so she bit down on her lip as hard as she could to prevent herself from doing so. "Okay. Good to know. Great."

"But, either way, you're saying we have to go with them," Zo reaffirmed as he drew her into his arms.

"You don't have to do anything," Gandalf shook his head. "It is entirely up to you."

"And if we did go, how the hell would you get Thorin to agree?" Stella asked.

"He needs not know of your origins. Not entirely. Only that you know the future of this quest," Gandalf's eyes lit up in amusement. "What leader wouldn't want a Seer on his journey?"

At last, Lorenzo finally looked at Stella. But the look they shared was not one of comfort. The thought intrigued her – Stella and Zo always were ones for taking risks – but even she had to admit to the feeling that Gandalf's idea would not go over with the dwarves very well.

* * *

**Tagalog translation:**  
Nanay – mom  
Tatay – dad

**A/N:** I've read that "nanay" and "tatay" can mean "mom" and "dad" on one website, but also read that it can mean "mommy" and "daddy" on another. I wrote this with the assumption it was "mommy" and "daddy" but if anybody who speaks Tagalog can let me know, please do.

I tried to write Elrond's healing abilities as well as I could. Aragorn states in _Return of the King_ that Elrond has great healing power but it is never said anywhere if Elrond heals by spells, herbs, or touch. I wanted to convey that Elrond has enough power to heal the surface wounds in a way that is practically impossible in our world but it is not entirely magical. This is what truly convinces Stella and Lorenzo that they're really in Middle Earth, despite their encounter with wargs.


	3. Chapter 3

Stella and Lorenzo left Elrond's study shortly after to leave him, Gandalf, and Galadriel to discuss things further among themselves. She was still confused as to what Galadriel was doing in Rivendell. Though Stella was excited to meet elf, she wasn't supposed to be there. She wasn't anywhere in the book so unless the world she and Zo were in was far more similar to the movies, she shouldn't have been there. If they were in a movie universe, she wondered how useful she could be for Gandalf's Seer idea. Stella only had the opportunity to see the first two so if there were a number of differences in the last movie from the book, and Stella was sure there were, she would essentially be useless when it really mattered.

Stella and Zo were escorted to a bedroom that would be theirs to rest in for the remainder of their stay in Rivendell. The elf who guided them appeared to be a bit scandalized when Stella insisted on sharing the room with Zo. After learning that the two were not married, courting, or related, the elf tried to insist that one of them could rest in a room just down the hall but they remained firm. He left exasperated but still left defeated. Sharing a room was important to them. It was the only place Stella and Zo could be alone together. They had not had the opportunity to be alone since they came across the Company and they most likely would not have time to be alone again anytime soon.

They fell asleep on the small and comfortable bed with their arms wrapped around each other. Their whispered murmurs died out from their lips during the night but the concerns they shared lingered on into the morning.

Galadriel made it clear that the portal seemed to open after important events and they couldn't possibly just go to Lothlorien to wait for it to open. She specifically said so but Stella still couldn't understand _why_ they couldn't. She wanted to ignore Galadriel and go anyway but a small tickle in the back of her mind wanted to listen to Gandalf.

The quest fascinated Stella but she wasn't crazy. Goblins, meddlesome Elves, and – ugh, she cringed just thinking about it – spiders still waited for the Company. And, _hello_, what about the Battle of Five Armies and the three very significant deaths? Why the hell would she want to go through with that?

Stella tried to keep away from the topic of Lorenzo returning when she would not, but that was all he wanted to talk about. He continuously told her that he would not leave without her. She loved him when he said that.

She continuously said if he had the opportunity to go home, he should take it, regardless if she went with him or not. Stella thought he hated her when she said that.

When she woke up, she discovered that their positions had completely changed during the night. They fell asleep facing each other on their sides but she had no idea how their positions changed so drastically without waking either of them up. Zo took up most of the bed and had sprawled out onto his stomach with his limbs lying across the sheets. His head was buried under the pillow and the sound of soft snores emerged from underneath. Stella had curled up on the lower corner of the bed. She was low enough to be nowhere near the pillows at the head of the bed but high enough for Zo to have an arm thrown across her collarbone. The position was slightly constricting but still comfortable.

Stella lightly tickled the dip of his back, causing Zo to jerk wildly before shooting up to sit up on his knees. He soaked in his surroundings before groaning and pressing the bride of his nose with his fingertips.

"Fuck me, I thought it was a nightmare."

"'Fraid not, honeybee," Stella said as she rolled off the bed.

She shook out her rumpled dress, wondering where her other clothes were at and if she had to wear the borrowed dress for another day, when her eye was drawn to the hanging materials in a wardrobe in the corner of the room. To her surprise, the wardrobe was filled with clothes suitable for both of them. She pulled out a soft orange dress with a smile before tearing off the gown she slept in. Without so much as a blink of an eye, Zo sleepily approached Stella to help her tie up the back of the gown after she pulled it on. After firmly knotting the ties, he peeled off his clothes and blindly grabbed a tunic and trousers to wear. He pulled on his boots (which clashed horribly with his clothes) and Stella went barefoot, as she had left her sandals in the forest and there were none to be found in the room.

They then proceeded to search for breakfast. When they entered the room where had dinner the night previous, they found breakfast laid across the table. Only Bilbo and two dwarves were in the room and already eating. Stella offered them a small smile as she and Zo sat across from them. Bilbo smiled back but the dwarves only offered a hesitant good morning. She studied them discreetly as they ate while she piled her plate with fruit. One of them would fuss gently over the other, who sat patiently and quietly, as if he was used to it all.

"Your names are Dori and Ori, correct?" Stella guessed.

They both looked up in surprise before the one who she assumed was Dori narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "How did you know that?"

Stella stared with wide eyes into his slit ones as she said seriously, "I can read minds."

He slightly reared back in his seat as Bilbo and Ori dropped their bread and forks in shock. Zo calmly poured juice into a cup. She remained silent for one moment more before she smiled innocently.

"Just kidding."

Dori blinked once, twice, before he hesitantly smiled and gave a weak chuckle. The silence quickly overcame the room as the other three resumed their breakfasts. Perhaps it was too early to tease. But it was just too easy! The longer that Stella stared over at the Dwarves as she chewed on her toast slowly, the more they fidgeted in their seats. They had yet to look up at her but they knew she was staring at them. Their only reprieve came with the arrival of two dwarves walking into the dining room. Stella immediately turned to assess them, making the ones across from her visibly sag in relief.

The two dwarves were Stella's height but held themselves up well. If she didn't know better, she would have thought them very tall with the way they held their chins up and shoulders back. Both were tan with long, fair, and unruly hair with thick braids entwined within. They had familiar blue eyes that lit up in a way another dwarf's pair did not. With their wide grins stretching across their faces, Stella knew immediately who they were, even after her split-second glance of them when she first fell into the Company's lap.

"Good morning, Fili. Good morning, Kili," she greeted.

"Good morning, miss," they greeted in unison, making her sit up straight in happiness.

"Oh, god, you're just loving this, aren't you?" Lorenzo sneered.

"Yes, I am," Stella shamelessly confirmed. Without drawing her gaze away from the two, she shook Zo's arm happily. "Just look at them, Zo. The _real_ Fili and Kili."

"Yeah, they're great. Let me eat, woman," he pushed his friend away.

Undaunted, she scooted her chair closer to the dwarf princes. "It is so nice to actually meet you."

In her excitement to greet Fili and Kili, Stella almost missed the arrival of Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. Before she could say hello, she was delighted to see that Nori had slinked into a seat by Dori, almost unnoticed. Her eyes danced around the room, trying to soak in the appearance of each dwarf. Oin and Gloin walked in and she knew it was only a matter of time before Balin, Dwalin, and Thorin would join everyone. Stella greeted each one happily and accurately, much to the disgust of Lorenzo, before she calmed down and addressed Bilbo.

"So, Mr. Baggins, is it true that you had little choice to go on the quest with the dwarves?" Stella asked.

The murmured conversation that had been occurring in the dining room halted. As the dwarves questioned her and her knowledge of the quest, Bilbo spoke over their voices to ask in return, "Pardon?"

"What I mean is did you go willingly? Like, did you look forward to an adventure or did you just get shoved out of your house?" she clarified.

A handful of the dwarves turned towards Bilbo, wanting to hear his answer, while the others seemed indifferent. She belatedly realized that she had put Bilbo on the spot but there was no going back. The question was asked. Even if Stella recanted the question, the dwarves would probably still demand an answer. And she really did want to know his answer, too. The movies made Bilbo seem so eager to leave but book-Bilbo was so hesitant and was all but thrown out of his home by Gandalf. Stella had the real Bilbo in front of her so she could finally get her answer.

He stammered for a moment before saying, "Well, it was all very sudden. What with dwarves coming in late at night and clearing out my pantry – "

"They did what?" Lorenzo cut in.

Uh-oh.

Bilbo's eyes nervously flickered to him before settling on Stella, marking her the safer choice. He carried on, "I barely got any sleep and Gandalf was rather pushy in the morning. I couldn't even pack much at all, but I – "

Knew it.

"Wait, back up, little dude." Lorenzo had even put down his drink, which meant he was about to make things very awkward or very funny. "That was real? They actually came into your house and ate all your food without permission?"

"And mocked his worries," Stella piped up unhelpfully. "_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"_

As Bilbo flushed in embarrassment when she sang the small line, the dwarves all flinched. Lorenzo was now glaring maliciously at all of them. Apparently, the dwarves had still believed it all to be in good spirits.

"Why didn't you kick them out?" Zo asked incredulously. "It's amazing how effective throwing pans at people's heads could be."

Before anybody could throw him their own startled stares, Stella explained, "Zo and I were raised to believe that the home is sacred. Disrespecting a person's home is a horrible offense to the homeowner."

"It was all good fun," Bilbo tried to play if off.

"Was it?" Lorenzo challenged. "For you or them?"

"And we move on!" the young woman declared since Bilbo was becoming more and more flustered. "So? Are you here willing and enthusiastically or not?"

Stella leaned forward to make sure Bilbo's attention was on her. When his eyes caught hers, she gave him a reassuring smile. She wanted the truth, not what he thought the dwarves or Stella wanted to hear. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. His licked his chapped lips before he threw his chin up defiantly.

"I also believe the home is sacred," he declared firmly. "Everyone deserves one. That's why I am here. Willingly. Enthusiastically."

Stella grinned wider.

"You are one in a million, Bilbo Baggins. You are simply beautiful."

He blinked once before he straightened in his seat and happily beamed. He cleared his throat and never stopped smiling as he finished his breakfast. The dwarves continued their murmurings and Stella ignored Zo's grumblings under his breath. Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin eventually made their way in. They gave nods in response to the greetings given to them but ultimately only spoke in low volumes among themselves once they noticed that Stella and Lorenzo were present. Never resisting the urge to speak up, she addressed them immediately.

"So, Thorin, when are you going to allow Elrond to read your map?

The room once again fell silent. "Jesus Christ," Zo sighed. "Can't you go one hour without startling people?"

"No," Stella answered without drawing her gaze away from the end of the table.

Thorin lowered his chin to glower at her more proficiently. He slightly tilted his head to the side and his blue eyes roamed across Stella's face. The longer he stared, the more she felt like twitching. Stella loved shocking people and she loved attention but his scrutinizing, unwavering gaze irritated her. His gaze felt like ants crawling over her skin. It wasn't enough to make her uncomfortable but yet...

"How do you know of the map?" he finally asked. "Who told you?"

"No one," she shrugged.

"Who?" he pressed.

"Nobody," she repeated before she grew serious. "I simply read your mind."

His eyebrows furrowed together. Stella stared at him for a few seconds longer before she turned back to her plate and said nothing more. As she sipped on her juice, she peered over the brim of her cup at Dori. He appeared torn between speaking up and staying silent. She lowered her cup slightly to throw him a mischievous smile. His eyes narrowed but he finally smiled to himself with a shake of his head.

* * *

Stella and Lorenzo made themselves scarce after breakfast. Before they could be swept away for their promised interrogation, they briskly left the dining room to find a place to have time to themselves. They figured their room would have been where everyone would search first so they had to search all over. Gimli may have said that dwarves were natural sprinters but they had nothing on two track runners. Especially two track runners that were willing to run through elvish territory where a dwarf would not.

Stella had to give kudos to Dwalin, however. He came pretty close to grabbing her but Lorenzo had caught hold of her just in time to give her an extra pull to propel her forward.

Stella was anticipating Nori to come after them. The book offered very little information about him but the movie made him out to be quite sneaky, which she rather liked, so she thought he would be after them next but he never came. At least, not that she noticed. Which, to be quite honest, made Stella quiver in anticipation. In a good way.

Stella and Zo eventually found a small unoccupied room that overlooked the courtyard. She straddled the ledge of the balcony as Zo leaned against his forearms to watch the Elves that strolled around. He patted at himself absently before freezing. Stella stared in curiosity as he leaned over and began to untie his boots. With a hum of satisfaction, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She rolled her eyes at his exuberance as he joyfully lit up his first cigarette he had since the moment they had arrived.

"You know you're going to have to limit yourself with those, right?" Stella spoke up as she tilted her head back with her eyes closed to enjoy the sun on her face.

"You bite your tongue," he snapped without malice.

"I'm serious. We're probably going to be here for a while. You'll run out of those and have to settle for pipe weed," she reminded him.

"God," he groaned. "Thank fuck this is a brand new pack."

Stella peeked over at him and smiled at the sight of him enjoying a slow inhale of his cigarette. At least he wasn't horrendously addicted. Last she checked, Zo could make a pack of cigarettes last a long time. After his father, Zo would never allow himself to be addicted to anything. So she was never worried about him. Zo could be an idiot, no matter how smart he thought he was, but even when he was totally drunk, he could still keep a level head.

Her only problem with his smoking was the smell. But she wasn't going to complain. Stella worked and was friends with plenty of smokers. Besides, she couldn't possibly complain about the smell of smoke considering her job, which was the best part of her entire life, consisted mainly of petroleum fuel and smoke.

"How long do you think we'll be here?" he asked quietly.

Stella slowly opened her eyes as she thought about his question. She wasn't an expert on Tolkien but she did know that they had to be in the month of May and the Battle of Five Armies was in November. But so far, everything that had occurred since they arrived was following the movies and not the books. However, Lady Galadriel and the orc pack were the only clues to that hypothesis.

"My best guess? Seven or eight months," she answered reluctantly.

"I guess that means I'll miss Angelo's and Salvatore's birthdays," he said calmly. His hand was trembling as he lifted his cigarette to his mouth.

Stella nodded slowly and said, "And I'll miss Nanay's. And Ruth's. And Telma's. And Uri's. And Tatay's. Oh, god."

A strangled sob escaped her throat as she brought her hands up to cover her face. She hunched over her folded legs and moved her hands to grip the back of her neck. But Stella would not cry. Crying was not allowed.

Yet the longer she allowed herself to contemplate their situation, the more she wanted to. If she heard it from anybody else, Stella would have scoffed and said that there was no way anybody would keep her from going home. But the way Lady Galadriel stared into her eyes when she informed them that only Zo would be returning haunted her. She said it so factually.

The sky is blue.

Fish swim in water.

We breathe in oxygen.

Stella Ann Villanueva was never going home.

What would her parents think? Would they still say that they had four children or would they begin saying that they only had two daughters and a son now? Maybe they would say they used to have three daughters but they lost one. They would firmly say that the second eldest was not dead. She was simply lost. Lost and gone forever, oh my darling Stella Ann.

And what about her siblings? Her stupid, infuriating, wonderful siblings. For being the eldest, Ruth was just as irritating as Uri. She could be so condescending, as if she thought being older meant that she was smarter, but Stella knew that Ruth was not the greatest with her words. She only meant the best.

Uri was only about to finish his sophomore year in high school and lived up to the stereotypes of an almost sixteen-year-old boy. That basically spoke for itself but he was her baby brother. And she would never see him graduate or hear his disgusting jokes again or drive him to tennis practice again.

And then her Telma, who was Stella's only little sister and her very best friend, would never see her again. Stella wouldn't be there to hear Telma rant about her job and she wouldn't be there to see Stella dance anymore and they would never bake muffins together again and they would never camp out in the backyard again.

At least Stella didn't leave her family on a bad note. She always heard on the news that when somebody went missing, their loved ones would cry because the last thing they said to them was something angry or blasé. Thankfully, Stella's family was a firm believer in saying "I love you" as often as possible, especially every time they said goodbye. If that was going to be the last thing she would ever say to and hear from her family, Stella was eternally glad that was it.

If she never went home, could she still say that she had a family? Did she come from a family of six or was Stella a sibling-less orphan now? Could she still say she was from that quiet Filipino family at the end of the cul-de-sac or was she just a lost and found girl with an animal chasing behind her?

Zo sat on the ledge in front of her and pulled Stella up so her legs sprawled over his thighs. He coaxed her into hiding her face in the crook of his neck. She huffed lightly before nuzzling into him. For as apathetic as Zo liked to portray himself to be, he always gave the best hugs. Most of the time, his hugs consisted of a casually draped arm over the shoulder while he impassively looked away, mostly at his phone, as whoever he was hugging clung on to him. But his deep hugs, in which he held someone as he did with her in that moment, which involved all of his being, were just as genuine as his easy hugs.

"I'll stay as long as you need me," he spoke softly into Stella's hair. "Get you settled in nice so you won't feel like an outsider."

Lorenzo was never the type of person to offer comfort when there was none to be found. Perhaps that was why Stella initially fell in love with his attitude when everyone else couldn't stand him. They were the same. They were not in the practice of lying to people just for the sake of their comfort. She knew Zo would never tell her that everything would be okay or she would make her way home when he had no way of knowing if it would be so.

Stella felt incredibly selfish when she nodded after he spoke. Zo had just as much to lose as she did. Who the hell was she to have him stay there with her longer than he had to? She wasn't even his best friend. She wasn't even just a simple ex-girlfriend. Stella was in the complicated area where she was in-between everything. She was in-between ex-girlfriend and just friends. She was in-between just friends and best friends. Stella was in-between "I think of you as just a friend" and "I'll always have feelings for you."

Zo had brothers. He had a mother. He had endless family stretching from all over California to overseas in his first home in Italy. He wanted to go home just as much as Stella did, if not more. Underneath her anger and grief, she was elated that she was meeting some of her favorite fictional characters. They were really real! But Zo didn't care about any of them. And yet, he still offered to stay longer for her. Stella hated herself for nodding but she didn't want to be there alone.

Once she composed herself and pulled away from his embrace, Stella watched Zo take a calm drag of his cigarette before asking, "Do you really think the dwarves will believe Gandalf when he tells them I'm a Seer?"

"Why not?" he shrugged as he blew out the smoke. "You could be like Cassandra. She's the legit thing, right?"

"Legit Seer, yeah. Who nobody believed and died alone," Stella rolled her eyes. "Now I feel so much better."

In a moment that came suspiciously on time, a thud echoed from the outside the door before it fell open and three figures stumbled in. The smallest body caught himself quicker and straightened his clothes with a clearing of his throat before offering Stella a sheepish smile. She tilted her head at Bilbo, who quickly turned around to help the two dwarves up. There were a few furious whispers about warnings against eavesdropping and being shameless. One dwarf smiled easily at Bilbo before turning to Stella.

"Are you really a Seer, lass?" he asked.

Zo sighed deeply as she stilled. The dwarf's brogue was thick and unlike anything Stella had ever heard before. As a citizen of San Diego, she was right in the middle of a melting pot of cultures. They had tourists from all over the world roaming throughout the city and beaches. She had seen so many aspects of different cultures. She had heard so many different languages. She had heard so many different accents, which was one of her favorite things about meeting new people. The dwarves had the most fascinating accents Stella had ever heard, even if it was only because they were the newest group of people she had met.

Ruth always told Stella that curiosity killed the cat. Oh, but how satisfaction brought it back.

Stella jumped off the ledge and tried to refrain from skipping up to the dwarf who spoke. He slightly leaned back in surprise when she shamelessly invaded his personal space but did not rear away from her as people typically did. He blinked once and gave her a soft smile that immediately made her melt.

She grabbed his hands in hers as she cooed over him. "Look at you! With that hat, you must be Bofur. That is an amazing hat and I love the way your smile lights up your eyes. You are simply wonderful. I think I could fall in love with you."

"Stella, stop flirting," Lorenzo said as he pushed himself away from the balcony to shove his cigarettes and lighter back into the sides of his boots.

"Stop telling me what to do," Stella snapped at him before she turned back to Bofur. She beamed before drawing him into a hug. His hat slightly fell off center but his automatic response to her actions was to wrap his thick arms around her waist. She nuzzled her cheek into his happily. "My Zo just gets jealous that I have such a big heart and he's left with a shriveled up organ in his chest."

"Yeah, that's what it is," he rolled his eyes before lazily throwing an arm around Bilbo's shoulders and peeling Bofur away from her. "All ye beware the succubus. Fall not for her cunning ways."

Stella glared at Zo with her arms still stretched out towards Bofur as he led them out of the room before she slumped down into a small pout. She adored physical affection, especially hugs, and Bofur was just so nice to cuddle into. What was wrong with that? With a huff, Stella turned to the last dwarf that lingered in the room.

Her eyes drew up to the large chunk of metal lodged securely into his forehead. Her gaze lingered on it before she settled for staring into his eyes. He never moved as she assessed him and he didn't seem to be bothered with the way Stella stared openly at his injury. It was obvious that he had long become accustomed to people staring. She supposed she should have felt embarrassed but she didn't.

"That must have hurt," Stella simply stated.

He tilted his head and his eyes strayed away as he thought it over. How long had that been in his head that he actually had to think back on it? With some tension in his lips, he nodded.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked.

He answered quicker with a firm shake of his head.

"Good," she nodded. She rolled back on the heels of her feet. "Do you regret it? Going to wherever you got that?"

Just as quickly as he answered the previous question, he shook his head. He said something that Stella could not understand but she got the general gist. He did what he believed was right.

"You are so brave. Simply amazing," Stella smiled. She gestured to the door. "Walk with me?"

As if it was the most natural thing in the world, Bifur held out his arm for Stella to place her hand in the crook of his elbow. They departed the room as quietly as their small conversation had been and followed the small group ahead of them down the hall. She wanted to groan once she heard Zo telling Bilbo and Bofur one of his outlandish tales again but Stella kept herself silent. When Zo gesticulated wildly, causing Bilbo to duck underneath a sweeping arm and Bofur to be swung out in a wide spin, Bifur began to shake from his laughter. She peeked at him from the side of her eye with a small smile on her face.

When he caught Stella's gaze, he offered a small smile in return. She patted his arm with her other hand and said, "I'm told I'm usually rather obnoxious. I like things to always be loud and moving, you know? But this is rather nice. Isn't it?"

Just as quick and firm as he was before, Bifur nodded and patted her hand. They continued to walk in their pleasant silence, following and listening along to the sound of Zo confusing everyone who heard him on whether his words were fact or fiction.

* * *

**A/N:** I don't know how I feel about this chapter but it's an update, which is always nice, right?


	4. Chapter 4

Unfortunately, Stella and Zo could not hold their interrogation off for much longer. They had managed to escape Thorin's burning glares but by the end of the fourth day in Rivendell, they found themselves cornered in a room with Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, and Nori.

Balin was always willing to accept a pleasant smile with a polite nod in return but Thorin and Dwalin did not seem to find Stella's compliments on their terrifying and imposing grandeur acceptable. Nori, however, sat in his own little corner with a smirk on his face. He topped off the good cop, bad cop impression Stella was getting when they sat her and Zo down in two rather uncomfortable chairs and stood in front of them with arms crossed. She rather liked it.

Out of all the dwarves she had encountered, Thorin and Dwalin were the ones who Stella avoided but also could not manage to keep in one place long enough to study from afar. She didn't mind that she never got a chance to engage with Thorin. It wasn't that Stella disliked him, honest, but he wasn't her particular favorite character in the book. She liked him far better in the movies but even then, he still wasn't her favorite. She was sure he was a grand guy in real life but she had all the time in the world to get to know him. And she was going to take her time.

All the dwarves fascinated her but Dwalin was the instant attention-catcher. From the moment he was introduced in the movies, Stella always had a giggle reserved just for him. She was a little more than thrilled when she realized that he was the one who caught her when Stella and Zo first came across the Company. Apparently, she had a bit of an issue with hiding her fascination with him, considering the baffled looks Stella realized she was receiving the longer she stared at him with her starry eyes wide.

"So," Stella started since nobody else was, "what do you want to know?"

Three pairs of eyes turned simultaneously in one direction. Nothing about Thorin's appearance actually changed but there was a narrowing of his eyes and tension in his lips that shifted his entire person. The way he put one swaying foot in front of the other and circled around Stella and Zo was entirely relaxed and casual but they both knew it was entirely not the case. Stella and Zo glanced at each other before looking away. Neither of them were decent enough people to hide their smirks.

"I refuse to have any of us from either party to waste time. So I will ask bluntly and you will answer honestly: are you spies?" Thorin's low voice asked from behind them.

"Not at all," Stella shook her head. "Though, I am wondering who you think we would spy for. We're way too clean to associate with orcs, let's be honest, and everyone else would probably laugh when told that you were going to reclaim Erebor."

"And what exactly is so funny about that?" Dwalin immediately snapped.

"A group of fourteen short guys going to a mountain to kill a dragon?" Stella summed up their quest quite simply before grinning. "Sounds a bit fairy tale."

"God, this is such a fucking joke," Zo laughed sardonically to himself before drawing up a knee to his chest and resting an arm on it.

"Now, now, there's no need for that dirty language, you dirty mouth," she said as she pat him on the shoulder, making him grimace and shove her hand away.

"There is nothing fairy tale about reclaiming our home," Thorin spoke as he circled around to stand in front of them again.

"I thought only you and Balin were born there," Stella tilted her head. "Wasn't everybody else too young to even know what Erebor looked like?"

"Can you even call a place you've never been to home?" Zo asked as he picked at a scab on his knuckles.

"That is an excellent philosophical question, Lorenzo."

"I try."

"You make it seem so effortless."

"Thank you."

With a nod and a smile, Stella turned back to Thorin. "Why don't I just get everything out of the way and answer all the questions I assume you'll ask in one fell swoop, yeah?"

At his answering nod, she began.

"Okay, so Lorenzo and I are not from around here at all. We both live in the same city but my family comes from the West and Lorenzo's is from the East. We've known each other for a few years now and recently began traveling together. We like to roam. Staying in one place has never been for me and Zo understands that so he comes along. We were just walking along when a warg, which we've been told were extinct, attacked so we ran and that's when we ran into you."

It wasn't entirely a lie. Only the bit about the warg was erroneous but it mattered little. Wargs were just another fictional creature, which might as well have been extinct. It was ridiculously easy for the words to just spill out of her mouth. Maybe Stella had been around Lorenzo for too long.

Thorin's next question, however, had her floored.

"The wizard claims that you are a Seer. Why did you not state so in the first place?"

_Because I'm not a Seer._

But Stella couldn't possibly say that. If she said she wasn't a Seer, then Thorin would ask why Gandalf lied and why Gandalf wanted her on the quest and why she knew so many things that, in his opinion, she shouldn't know about. Stella knew why she couldn't say that. But she had no idea what she should say.

"Seers haven't existed in our city in many years," Zo explained as if he was entirely bored with the subject. (He probably was.) "If Stella were to claim herself a Seer, she probably would have been forced to live as an outcast for the rest of her life because nobody could believe her. Or worse, she'd be killed. It's only logical that she keeps her talent hidden."

More like sign her up for a trip to the psych ward. But Zo's statement sounded better.

Thorin nodded to himself before consulting with Balin in one momentary glance. "Do you know the outcome of our quest?"

"I do," Stella carefully answered, "but I won't tell you what it is."

Both of Dwalin's fists and Thorin's lowered his chin to stare harshly at her from under his brows. But, interestingly enough, Balin and Nori merely smiled to themselves and nodded. When Dwalin began to issue the standard threats Stella assumed she would be hearing for some time, she shifted her attention away from them. They even asked if she was willing to put up with Nori, who apparently could be quite fearsome, which made him even more fascinating.

"I deserve the right to know what happens," Thorin said with his head high.

Stella furrowed her eyebrows up at him. "No, you don't. You're just one king out of hundreds. What makes you so much more worthy to know the future compared to the others?"

"Technically, he's not even a king," Zo piped up.

"Thank you, Zo," she sent a nod behind her. "I will revise the previous statement: You are just one used-to-be-prince out of hundreds. What makes you so much worthy to know the future compared to everyone else?"

That was mean. Don't get her wrong, Stella was a huge supporter of manners and kindness. But she was also an extremely fickle person when it came to honesty. She could easily tell a lie, no matter if it was big or small. However, there were cases that brutal honesty needed to be dealt. Nobody liked brutal honesty but it was necessary.

After she spoke, a barely discernible twitch on Thorin's upper lip disturbed his stern glare. Stella held his gaze not in defiance but in determination. He wasn't going to get the ending out of her. She still hadn't decided if Thorin's, Fili's, and Kili's sacrifices were detrimental to the fate of Middle Earth. She couldn't just give away that information just yet.

Dwalin was bound and determined to get something out of her. But Stella was far too used to people moving suddenly around her. So when Dwalin's hands shot out, she quickly stumbled out of her seat before he could grab her upper arms. The chair was knocked over but nobody paid attention to it. Dwalin glowered but his ears were bright red as Balin, Nori, and even Thorin looked at him in surprise. Stella's view of the four of them was blocked by Zo. From what she could see from behind him, he had kept his stance relaxed by leaning back on his right leg with his left hand in his pocket. She could see his right arm move around until she heard a familiar sharp snick. When she glanced to the right, she caught the light gleaming on the small knife Zo always had hidden in his belt.

One of them must of have made a move because Zo tilted his head and sounded amused as he said, "Oh, _please_ do."

When, apparently, nobody made a move, Zo continued, "Now, here's what we're all going to do. You're never going to try to touch my best girl again. You're going to go to that side of the room, we're going to go to the other side, and we're all going to answer each others' questions politely, like the civilized fucking people we are. Nobody is going to threaten each other again. We clear?"

Without waiting for an answer, Zo backed away from them without taking his eyes off them, forcing Stella to move back with him. When they were at a distance that Zo deemed appropriate, he looked over his shoulder and down at her. He said nothing and made no real facial expression as he nodded his chin up once, as if asking her if she was okay. She only nodded silently. Still feeling slightly numb, she stepped out from behind him to look at the others.

Dwalin was still frozen in place while Balin was scrutinizing at him closely. Thorin was leaning against the back wall with his arms folded over his chest and one hand idly stroking his short beard. Nori eyed the proceedings carefully but Stella couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Stella took in a deep breath.

"Yes, I know what happens during this quest. No, I will not tell you. No, you don't deserve to know everything right now. I will tell you on a need-to-know basis. There are some things that don't need to happen. There are some things that are absolutely necessary, even if you think they should have been avoided. No, you cannot make me tell you. I'm just a woman who is far from home and who knows too much. Now, if that's all..."

Without waiting for any words to be spoken, Stella escorted herself out. Behind her, she could hear the murmuring of one dwarf attempting to placate another angry dwarf and the furious hissing of her Lorenzo. Only four days down in Rivendell with almost three weeks left to go. Gandalf wished Stella and Zo to tag along with the Company and they already threatened their leader after he threatened her. Lovely.

It was a shame. She rather liked Dwalin.

* * *

Stella spent the next few hours in a self-imposed isolation. She would thank Zo eventually for defending her but for the time being, she just wanted to be alone. Confrontations made her extremely nervous. She knew she had a tendency to be rather obnoxious and blunt to a fault. Her flaws often led her to confrontations and after so many, Stella learned to become wary of them. Whenever she was unfortunate to land herself in one, she usually had to take some time to recuperate. When was she ever going to learn to keep her mouth shut?

She found herself in one of the gardens in the city after she wandered around aimlessly. It was too quiet for Stella to be entirely comfortable in but at least it was pretty. She weaved through the rows of flowers when she bumped into another being after she turned the corner.

"We meet again, lass," a cheery voice rang.

Stella stiffened at the familiar voice before relaxing considerably. Bifur and Bofur looked properly uncomfortable surrounded by flowers but Bilbo looked right in his element. He barely offered her a distracted smile before quickly wandering off to excitedly fawn over a particular flower. Bifur followed along in confusion to see what all the fuss was about, leaving Stella with the hatted dwarf.

"With a face that down, I'd say Thorin finally caught you," he rightfully guessed.

With a downcast nod, she affirmed that it was so. "Your king's guard is a grabby douche bag. Did you know?"

At his inquisitive expression, Stella shook her head, wishing to forget what had happened. Without asking, as she usually forgot to do so whenever she met somebody she was fascinated with, she invaded his personal space yet again to wrap her arms around his neck. With a small chuckle and a lack of hesitation that was present the first time around, Bofur placed his hands on Stella's hips. She cuddled into him and shifted herself around until she was comfortable. It didn't take very long. She didn't bother to question how it was that she could be so at ease around Bofur when his presence was so very welcome to her at all times.

"See? You're nice, you let me cuddle you. Why can't all dwarves be totally chill like you?" she pouted.

"All of us are different. I doubt everyone in the race of Men is as affectionate as you are, lass," he pointed out.

"Which is totally unfortunate," Stella said before sighing. "Maybe Dwalin wasn't hugged enough as a child. I doubt a childhood filled with hugs and kisses would have made him try to grab me the way he did."

Immediately, the hands on her waist tightened their grip. Stella scrunched her nose not in pain but in confusion before pulling away to give Bofur an inquisitive look. He shared a brief glance with Bifur, who went frozen once she had spoken the words. Bifur's sudden stillness grabbed Bilbo's attention and he straightened up from his position further down the aisle to stare at them in confusion. Bifur directed a statement that Stella could not understand. She blinked once before turning to Bofur.

"How exactly did Dwalin grab you?" Bofur asked slowly.

Stella perked up her eyebrows before answering just as slowly, "He didn't actually do it. He wanted information that I wasn't going to give so he tried to grab me by my arm. But I managed to duck out of his way in time."

"Did he hurt you?"

"I might have twisted my ankle the wrong way when I got out of the chair," she admitted. "But it already feels better. Besides, nothing too bad happened. Zo managed to get his knife out before it got out of hand. He's tricky-sweet like that."

"Your friend threatened the king's guard?" Bofur asked breathlessly as he let her go.

As soon as he let her go, Stella crossed her arms in her own defense. "No. My friend helped me when a man tried to grab me without my permission."

Bifur was shaking his head and muttering something under his breath. Bofur straightened himself out and clarified, "I'm not saying it's your fault, lass, or your friend's. It's just worrisome that Dwalin would do such a thing, or that the others – especially Thorin – stood by and watched. We do value women, you see."

"Because you have so few?"

"Precisely," he smiled before it melted right off again. "It's difficult to hear what happened."

Bifur muttered something again before marching right up to Stella. After throwing his shoulders back and saying something that sounded rather important, he bowed deeply. When he did not rise, Bofur explained, "Bifur, and I, said, 'On behalf of our race, please accept our most humble apologies."

She blinked in surprise as Bofur copied his cousin's bow. When he did not rise either, Stella threw Bilbo a startled glance and mouthed the words, 'What do I do?', to which he responded with an entirely unhelpful shrug. With doubt lingering in all of her actions, she slowly unfolded her arms and placed the palms of her hands on their shoulders.

"Thank you. I am grateful for your apologies, but to be honest, they're not yours to give. And I doubt Dwalin is willing to hand his out so easily. If you want to make me feel better, I guess just...keep him away from me?"

In what could have been in perfect unison if it were in the same language, Bifur and Bofur peered up at Stella from their still bowed heads with smiles upon their faces and said, "At your service."

After they straightened up, Stella whirled around to stand at Bilbo's side. She placed an arm around his shoulders and guided him down the garden path. "Bilbo, cure my sadness and tell me the name of flowers. Find me something orange!"

Bifur and Bofur silently followed along as Bilbo cheerfully identified the flowers for her. Most had similar names from home but there were a few that Stella had never seen before. Even for the flowers she already knew, she listened patiently as Bilbo described everything about them. People do not find their passions easily so it was always pleasant to see their eyes light up and hear their voices rush the words out, as if they could never accurately put their pleasure into proper sentences. The only time she interrupted Bilbo was when Stella found a fantastically familiar flower.

"Poppies!" she exclaimed excitedly, running to their garden plot and falling to her knees to cup the soft petals in her hands.

"You like poppies, then?" Bilbo asked in amusement.

"California poppies are my favorite," she confirmed. "I can't believe they grow here. Amazing."

"What's California?" the hobbit cocked his head in confusion.

"It's where I'm from," Stella said as she nuzzled the flower on her nose. "It's home."

"Why did you leave?" Bofur asked.

Stella stilled and looked up from the flowers in her hands. She bit down on the inside of her cheek as she lowered her head to allow her lightened hair to fall over her face. "I didn't," she answered quietly. "I was taken. And now there's no home to return to. Not for me, at least."

There was a moment before Bofur said, "I am sorry, lass – "

"Stella," she interrupted as she stood up and turned to the three behind her with a smile. "My name is Stella. And it's okay. I am learning to accept my loss. Though it will take time."

"Lovely name," Bilbo complimented before he repeated the name to see how it felt on his tongue. "Stella. _Stell_-a."

She smiled to herself before informing him, "It means star. My _nanay_ – my mom – she would always call me her star."

"_Nanay_. What language is that?" Bofur asked as they all continued to walk through the garden.

"Tagalog. It's my parents' native language. They taught me and my siblings how to speak it while teaching us English. Or Common. Whatever you call it here."

"Does your friend speak Tagalog?" Bilbo asked.

"Lorenzo? No, his parents aren't from where mine are. He speaks Italian though. It's a beautiful language."

"Italian," Bilbo tried out the word in the same way he practiced her name. "It sounds nice."

Stella nodded absently as she ran her hands gently over the tops of all the plants they passed. The silence did not last long, as Bilbo continued speaking on his lonesome and the dwarves behind them softly chattered in whatever language it was that Bifur was always speaking. When the dinner bell echoed throughout the garden, they all perked up and started heading towards the buildings. Stella hesitated for a moment and followed reluctantly along. She wasn't too anxious to see Dwalin again but Zo would more than likely be there. She did feel slightly reassured with Bifur and Bofur's promise to stay between her and Dwalin.

Thorin and those that were in the room with them this morning were already in the dining hall when they arrived. Bilbo anxiously glanced between her and Dwalin before offering Stella a comforting smile as he walked to his seat. She shook the tension out of her shoulders and lifted her chin up as she casually walked past Thorin's seat. He kept his eye on her after Stella passed but said or did nothing. Once she sat down, Zo glanced at her in the corner of his eye and raised his eyebrows in a silent question. She squeezed his knee before patting it twice and simply nodding. He audibly sighed through his nostrils but only tapped his fingers on the surface of the table.

To her comfort, Bifur and Bofur made good on their promise to keep themselves between Dwalin and Stella. Bilbo and Bofur sat across from her while Bifur sat to her right so she would not be able to look down at the end of the table to the Dwalin. She was not able to escape the apologetic glances of Balin and Nori, but they weren't the ones that mattered to her in that moment.

When the idle chatter began to increase in volume, Stella took her chance to lean over to her friend and murmured, "Thank you for handling the situation this morning."

"It's no big deal," he smiled softly as he lifted her hand to kiss her fingers. "I'm your dark knight on a motorcycle, remember?"

"My hero," she smiled in return.

"You sure you okay?" he asked as the smile left his face. "Because I have absolutely no problem with kicking around a short dude."

"Hey, watch it with the 'short' comments," Stella reprimanded after snorting. "He's taller than me."

"Which is kind of sad, by the way. Isn't he supposed to be a Dwarf?"

The punch she threw on his arm seemed to have no affect on him. "Shut your mouth."

"I'm serious. I thought Dwarves were supposed to be fucking short as hell, why do you blend in so well with them? Is there something you want to tell me about your ancestry?"

His growing grin matched hers, even though Stella did make a small attempt to conceal it. "Keep talking, asshole, and I'm going to shove a fork through your throat."

"Are you? Can you even make it up here?" he snickered.

At that comment, Stella wrinkled her nose at him before shoving his head back with her palm splayed across his face. With one last chuckle, he pulled her hand away from and gave it another kiss before they settled back into our seats to continue dinner. Their small interaction did not go unnoticed but nobody had anything to say about it.

After the usual scathing remarks regarding the lack of meat on the menu were tossed about, Stella and Zo found themselves surprisingly addressed by one of the dwarves.

"Excuse me, I was just wondering, if you aren't really royalty, what is your profession?" Ori asked.

He flushed under Stella's gaze after she immediately turned to look upon him with wide eyes. He was just too cute. Recognizing that she would not answer right away, Zo tapped a finger on his goblet as he answered, "Stella is a dancer and I'm a tutor."

"An educator!" Dori exclaimed. "Of what?"

"Math and music."

"Those are two very different subjects," Bofur spoke up.

"They're what I'm good at," Zo shrugged.

Balin took that moment to speak up, "What instruments do you play?"

After coolly regarding him for a split moment, Zo answered, "Violin and guitar."

"Zo is one of the best musicians I know," Stella piped up with a grin. "He plays the sweetest music."

"Stop it," he said monotonously, "I'm going to blush."

"I can't play music at all and I'm not a very good singer," she continued on, "which sucks, because when I was younger, I felt like I had so much to say but I just wasn't talented enough to write it down in poetic words or music. But then I met Zo and he could say everything I wanted to say, and more, and did it more beautifully than anyone ever could."

At that point, Zo leaned over and splayed his large hands on either side of her head. He tilted her head up to look straight into Stella's eyes and said, "You know just how to play to my ego, don't you?" At her answering grin, he pecked her forehead before settling back into his seat.

"By the way you were dressed the first day we came across each other, I have to admit, I did think you to be royalty," Dori admitted to Stella.

At her confused expression, he hurriedly carried on, "It's just that I have never met a woman on the road who dressed in such fine skirts or glittering jewels before. Your rings are fascinating but your necklace is definitely beautiful."

Her hand flew to the trinket around her neck. Stella had noticed earlier that nobody else wore anything similar. Not the Dwarves when they were in the forest and not the Elves roaming the halls. It wasn't the fanciest of necklaces but it was bright enough. The three connecting gold chains and the singular beads on each chain were as vibrant as Stella was. She was a bit surprised that Dori remembered how bright her jewelry was, considering she had been tucking her necklace into the collar of her dresses ever since she arrived. Her eyes glanced to the two stones on either of her middle fingers before flickering back up to Dori.

"My jewelry, with exception to the earrings I was wearing the first day together, were gifts from her family. I never take them off, even during travel."

At Ori's curious glance, Stella smiled gently and leaned forward to display her rings to him. At once, Ori, his brothers, and Bofur crowded each other to see. The ring on her left hand held a bright orange stone that was set in a blackened silver band. It matched the dark ring on her right hand, though that stone was a bright white stone. They were simple stones but she loved them.

"My family believes that stones and gems have meaning. This stone," she tapped the left ring, "is a sunstone. It is a protective stone and it is believed to enhance a person's energy, health, and fortune, as well as eliminating inner negativity."

Ignoring the cooing and the scoffs, she tapped the ring on her right hand. "This is a moonstone. It symbolizes intuition, fortune, protection, and love. It is said that if a couple exchanges moonstone necklaces charged under the full moon, they will have a love that will transcend definition. Put together, the moonstone and the sunstone are very protective stones. And that is why my parents gave them to me."

"I've never seen such stones," Bofur admitted as he kept his gaze on the rings on her fingers. "But your parents must love you very much to retrieve them for you."

"It's a family tradition," Stella confided. "My siblings have similar rings and necklaces."

"What stones are on your necklace?" Ori asked eagerly, ignoring Dori's shushing.

"More protection and healing stones," she said without drawing her necklace out.

It did not escape their attention that Stella did not wish to reveal her necklace but that did not stop Gloin from speaking out. "Your parents must have expected much to happen if they gave you so many protection talismans. Did they not think you would have it easy?"

Stella tilted her head in his direction before carefully saying as she poured a cup of water for herself, "They did not so it is to be expected that they would want their children to have better protection than they did."

"Affording stones and chains like that," he scoffed. "How did they not have it easy?"

She smiled sadly into her cup as she said, "Immigrant parents rarely have it easy."

The group at the table did not fall silent but there was a stillness that was reminiscent of how she froze any time somebody caught her attention. Regardless of what they thought, Stella continued her dinner in silence. She found comfort in her jewelry. Just as Lorenzo never parted from his violin, she never was without her jewelry. Her rings were fairly recent but Stella had carried the chain necklace with her since birth.

After dinner was finished and everyone went their separate ways, Stella found herself back in that little room she and Zo first met with Bifur, Bofur, and Bilbo. She sat at the balcony and absently rubbed at her triple layer necklace for quite some time before she gathered the courage to draw it out from under her dress. One by one, she rubbed the beads between her fingertips. She did not have to look at them to know what they looked like anymore.

Green. Malachite, for protecting children and travelers.

Her parents added it to her necklace when they moved for the first time in her life. She remembered loving it more than anything because it matched the bead on Ruth's necklace.

Black. Tourmaline, for luck and drawing away negativity.

Stella was thirteen when she started high school and Ruth told her how cruel teenagers could be. So she asked for something to take the bad thoughts away.

Blue. Lapis lazuli, for healing and love.

She could remember calling her father late at night to pick her up from a party when she was 16. Like most teenage girls, she thought she would spend the rest of her life with a certain boy. Like most certain boys, he thought differently. A week later, Stella had her third stone.

For the most part, everyone in her family had different stones. The only one that really connected them all together was malachite. It was a complete, pure, wonderful coincidence that gem stone collecting was a hobby that her mother and father's side of the family had in common. When they learned that they both had a malachite stone in their collection, it only seemed right for it to be family tradition.

When Stella and her siblings were born, they were given their gold chains but their parents gave them the beads whenever they thought they needed them most. Ruth, Stella, and Telma already had all their stones but Uri had yet to receive his third bead. She remembered how none of them could help the jealousy they felt over each others' stones.

Ruth envied the brightness of Stella's, Stella envied the rawness of Telma's, Telma envied the boldness of Ruth's, and Uri envied the fact that he had yet to be granted his final bead or his rings. But on top of all that jealousy, there was pride in themselves for overcoming the situations that made them gain their beads and that their gemstones were just as individual as they were.

As a rule, their parents waited to give them their rings at their high school graduation. They always felt like a sort of rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. Stella had a feeling that they had something else planned for college graduation but Ruth was still in her senior year and well...Stella would never found out.

That final thought plagued her as the moon moved across the sky. When she could not deny her exhaustion any longer, Stella pushed herself out of the plush chair she had curled up in and made her way out of the room. She had yet to memorize her way back to the room she was staying in with Zo but that didn't matter much to her. She would find it sooner or later and if she didn't find it that night, she had enough experience with sleeping outdoors to be comfortable with it.

She was wandering through a courtyard when a gruff voice stopped her in her tracks.

"What's the significance of the stones on your necklace?"

Stella turned around to face the dwarf that was leaning on a ledge that separated the courtyard from the corridors. Like usual, his expression was rather neutral but his heavy brows gave off the impression that he was glaring at her. But Dwalin's stare lacked the heat from earlier that morning. He barely blinked and she had a feeling she was being assessed just as much as he was. There was no hastiness as Stella stuffed her necklace back under the safety of her dress but her actions still made him raise a single brow. Her eyes were drawn to the markings on the top of his head.

"What's the significance of your tattoos?" she asked in return. She refused to bring up the situation of the morning if he did not.

She didn't exactly avoid the question as much as she was making a point. He knew she was getting somewhere with that so with a small smirk, he said simply, "That's none of your business, lass."

Without flinching or blinking or smiling, Stella met his gaze evenly and said just as simply, "And there you have your answer."

With the respectful nod she had seen the Elves give each other, even some of the Dwarves, she picked up the front of her dress and turned away. He probably knew if she was heading in the wrong direction or not. Even if she was going the wrong way, Stella knew he wouldn't correct her. It would probably amuse him more to know that she would go around in circles all night rather than get the satisfaction of seeing the embarrassment he would expect her to show if he corrected her. He probably expected that she would find an Elf to guide her to her room or ask if she could join them in their room so she could get some sleep. Just the thought irritated her.

Ah, well. Zo would find her in the morning. Stella spent her night sleeping comfortably in the branches of a tree.

* * *

**Tagalog translations:**

Nanay – Mom


	5. Chapter 5

With a wide yawn and a hand shoved in her hair to ruffle the back, Stella walked into the dining area for breakfast. She paused before the table and squinted her groggy eyes at the leaf that she just pulled out of her hair. She absently shrugged and let the leaf fall to the ground before she dropped heavily into her seat.

"You slept in a tree again, didn't you?" Lorenzo asked as he shook his head.

"Pretty tree," she mumbled tiredly while she loaded her plate with food.

He shook his head again and muttered, "Hopeless."

With an affronted gasp, Stella threw him a small glare. "Well, excuse me for getting lost. There was nobody around to ask for directions so I found a tree. It wasn't ideal but it's not like it was totally uncomfortable."

"My little jungle girl," Zo cooed dismissively, making her scoff in irritation and smack him away when he kissed the top of her head playfully.

He ignored her kick to his shin, as he usually did. Zo always had a twisted sense of humor, in Stella's opinion. Of course, she only thought so because most of his amusement came the expense of her irritation. Even when they first met, Zo found joy in pestering Stella nonstop. Now that they were older, he realized he could find much more amusement by acting overly polite and purposefully doing things that he knew would set her off. And while he let the irritation stew inside her, he would never lose that stupid smirk on his face. Stella generally never let her anger rise to the point that it visibly showed but Zo was a special case. He seemed to be about the only person who could drive her to the point that Stella would let her sneer show.

Though she had to admit, there was just something about being able to lash out without there being consequences. Zo was the only one Stella knew that would let her pull his hair or cuss him out without taking it personally. Even with her closest friends, she had to approach them with trepidation when she was angry. But Zo would take her anger and answer it with a laugh and a punch to the arm that meant as little as her kick to his legs. There were a few who believed they could replace one in each other's life. But, for Stella, listening to somebody else's snarky comments or accepting their pulling of her hair just wasn't the same if it wasn't Zo.

Despite Stella's irritation with Zo, the rest of breakfast was spent rather well. The others were a bit groggy to be as rambunctious as they usually were but they seemed friendlier to Stella and Zo compared to the previous few days. It seemed that Bilbo, Bifur, or Bofur informed the other Dwarves about what had happened because the rest of them gave Thorin and Dwalin particularly wide berth. Nori only flitted about occasionally and Balin appeared to be the bridge between all groups.

Bilbo took his promise to keep Thorin and Dwalin away from Stella very seriously. He even went so far as to steer conversations about either dwarf to a different subject. He arrived to breakfast – or his second breakfast, he happily informed Stella – and sat on her other side to prevent one of the two dwarves from sitting next to her. But without Bifur or Bofur, who were late risers, Dwalin was free to sit immediately across from the girl. She easily ignored his stare but his constant, repetitive, and singular question was grating on her nerves.

Each time, he'd ask what the stones on her necklace meant. And each time, she'd say it was none of his business.

* * *

Days went by in that style. Eventually, Stella remembered where her room was. Of course, the only reason why she did came in the form of two towering figures. On a particularly pleasant night, Stella curled up on a branch of a tree but was woken up to a gentle poke on her forehead. She slowly woke herself up to see wide, gray eyes blinking owlishly back at her. She blinked in rapid succession before sitting up to fully give the crouching figure her full attention.

"Hello," she said, though it sounded more like a question than a greeting.

"My lady," a voice from down on the ground called up, "you are far too beautiful to subject yourself to sleeping in a tree."

Stella tilted her head at the figure in front of her before looking down. At the base of the tree, was an elf who looked amazingly similar to the one on the branch with her. The one in front of her had yet to move even an inch, but the one on the ground seemed to sway with the slight breeze and grinned roguishly up at her.

Feeling rather flirty, Stella replied, "Kind sir, this night and this tree are far more beautiful than I am. Why should I not give them all my attention? I admit it is rather selfish of me, but I simply had to familiarize myself with such a tree."

"In that case, such a tree should feel entirely honored to combine its beauty with yours," came the reply, though the answer did not come from the elf on the ground, but rather the one in front of Stella.

When Stella turned her attention to the crouching elf, he threw her a similar grin before relaxing into a sitting position. He threw one leg on either side of the branch and straddled it before leaning forward. His gray eyes sparkled in what little light there was left in the night as he grasped Stella's hand and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it.

"Dear lady, won't you honor these humble elves with your name?"

"Gentle sir, is not polite to give one's name before asking for another's?"

"Ignore my rude brother!" cried the other elf as he climbed up on a lower branch to roughly push the elf in front of her away. Stella blinked in surprise as she watched the elf in front of her flail wildly before clinging to the branch they sat upon with his left arm and right leg. He glared at his brother, who ignored him to lean on the branch Stella sat on and smile softly up at her. "I am Elladan. This fiendish ghoul is Elrohir."

"If anybody is fiendish, it's you," came a grumbled reply from further down the branch.

Stella shifted her gaze between the both of them. She definitely recognized those names and upon closer inspection, she couldn't believe she could not see the family resemblance between the twins and Elrond until they gave their names. They looked exactly like their father with their long dark hair and gray eyes but there was a softness in the jaw and around the eyes that must have only come from their mother.

She smiled at them both before interrupting their mumbled squabble with, "My name is Stella."

"Lovely name for a lovely woman," both turned to her and said in unison with smirks.

A thrill went up her spine. She cursed her weakness for twins. There was just something about two voices saying the same thing at the same time _with accents_ that made her want to swoon. She steadied herself and allowed Elrohir to help her down the tree. With their pleasantries exchanged, the twins escorted Stella back to her room, flirting harmlessly with her the entire time. She knew they were far older but there was something about them that reminded her of Zo when he was younger. Before he became so vague and stoic, he was quite silly and charming. It was only the nostalgia of having somebody to share that silliness that made Stella so comfortable with the two brothers.

In the following evenings, the twins would guide Stella to her room until she finally remembered how to get there herself. During the day, Elladan and Elrohir joined Stella and Zo in their walks through Rivendell, much to the chagrin to the Dwarves. Bifur and Bofur expressed little displeasure at having the elves join them. However, they were rather upset on the day the twins placed weapons in Stella's and Zo's hands.

"Master Bofur, do you intend on staying at Darling Stella's side for the rest of her life?" Elladan laughed through his serious statement. "The days are growing darker and she will need to learn to defend herself sooner or later."

"Yeah, come on, Bo." Stella didn't plead and took much pleasure in seeing Bofur stand up straighter at the nickname. "It'll be fun, it'll be fun, it'll be fun."

"What made you decide to take this up anyway?" Bilbo asked from his seat on a sunny bench while he smoked on a borrowed pipe.

"Darling Stella has a natural affinity for wielding weapons," Elrohir spoke up as he adjusted Stella's posture as she held up a thin sword in one hand. "We just want to know which works best for her and teach her the basics."

"Yes, imagine our surprise when the little fox sneaked away with one of our swords after practice and we found she was holding it properly," Elladan stated as he nudged up Zo's arm while he was drawing back the string to a bow. "Darling girl was born to hold a weapon."

"It might have to do with her dancing," Zo shrugged as he lowered the bow.

"Dancing?" Elladan and Elrohir asked.

"At home, I was part of a group of dancers. Some danced with whips or wire fans. I danced with a staff," Stella explained.

"Staff?"

In unison, Elladan and Elrohir spoke as they reared back. They peered at each other and relaxed as they exchanged mischievous grins. When Elrohir turned on his heel to walk off the field and Elladan yanked the sword out of Stella's hands, all she could do was blink. She turned to Zo, who only sighed heavily when the bow was taken out of his hands and replaced with a sword. Zo swung the sword around carelessly before burying the tip in the dirt and leaning on the hilt. When Elrohir returned, he held in his hands a long piece of wood that stood just at his chin, making it fairly taller than Stella.

Elrohir placed the staff in Stella's hands and shared a pleased smile with his brother when she automatically adjusted her posture to hold it. She held up the top so it was slightly lower than her face so she could examine the elaborate carvings. For the most part, the entirety of the staff was smooth polished wood that was so dark that it was almost black. Near the top, there were twisting lines carved into the wood that stretched to the circular decoration at the top. The top of the staff was carved so that there was a halo around a fiery sun. Stella's lips stretched up before she shifted the staff so it fit just right to her.

Elrohir made a few minor adjustments but was rather satisfied with the position she was already in. "Now that I know you're a dancer, I can see why you naturally fall into certain positions. Which is good. There aren't many differences between dancers and warriors. Your skill helps with staff but not so much with swords, unless you wield two at once. But you can still be successful with a bladeless weapon."

On that note, it was assumed that most of Stella's time would be taken up by training with Elrohir. Zo, to his displeasure, was trained in swordsmanship with Elladan. At times, a few elves would join in to help but there were very few who were rained in wielding a staff. Before the twins settled on Stella's and Zo's weapons, the dwarves - specifically Fili and Kili - were interested in shifting the new trainees' focus to ax-wielding and using bows and arrows but they were usually dragged away by their surly uncle before they could make much of an impression.

For the most part, Thorin Oakenshield kept to the company of his guard, adviser, and nephews. Occasionally, he could be seen glaring at Gandalf or avoiding Elrond. However, what made Stella the most uncomfortable was how often he showed up to the training grounds. With him, always came his friend and guard.

Whenever Stella and Lorenzo were with Elladan and Elrohir, Thorin and Dwalin were almost always there. If they were not there before Stella and Zo arrived, they assuredly would show up in the middle of practice. For a while, Thorin would stay under the guise of utilizing the grounds to spend time getting acquainted with his new sword. However, Dwalin did not bother to hide how often his eyes strayed to Stella and Zo whenever one of them had a blade in their hand.

Stella grimaced in Dwalin's direction before giving Elrohir her full attention. But his teachings were short-lived because less than a quarter of an hour into practicing, he was interrupted by the gravelly voice of a tall dwarf.

"If you can't teach right, boy, don't do it all," Dwalin snapped as he waved the tall elf away.

Elrohir smiled at the Dwarf's impatience and Stella's irritation with his interruption. With a tilt of his head and sweeping wave of his hand, Elrohir gave Dwalin the floor. With a dismissive sniff, Dwalin's squinting eyes scanned over Stella. Without realizing it, her shoulders slumped down as she pouted under his assessing gaze. She wanted to be irritated with him but he only ever made her feel petulant. As he slowly circled around her, she huffed as he kicked her legs further apart and roughly adjusted her shoulders from the back. He scoffed as he scooted a foot at the train of her dress.

"Don't you have any trousers, lass?" he asked incredulously. "What kind of girl trains in dresses and heavy skirts?"

"The kind who has nothing else to wear?" Stella grumbled.

"Nothing else?" the twins echoed, Elladan looking over Zo's raised sword to catch his brother's eyes.

They lowered their gazes to Stella's dress before looking down to Zo's attire. As their gazes settled on either Zo's tunic or Stella's deep red dress, they both asked, "Were those borrowed from us?

"We found them in the closet," Zo offered in explanation. "Ours now."

"Enough!" Dwalin interrupted. "We'll make do."

After that, all of the time Stella spent with Elrohir was replaced with Dwalin's company. He still irritated the daylights out of her – he had a tendency to ask her about her necklace while he was swinging axes at her – but the irritation was almost fading to a fond annoyance, especially when she was still waiting for an apology. It was somewhat similar to how Stella felt about Zo when they first met.

Years earlier, when Stella was even wider-eyed and Zo was still obviously the youngest of three boys, Zo's idea of getting a girl's attention was flicking her hair and taunting her not quite so cruelly but enough to be yelled at. If she had been impatient or too sweet or too mean, Stella could have hated him. But at the time, Stella was just as obnoxious and dirty-minded as Lorenzo was. It was a beautiful friendship that was fated to be.

Of course, that did not stop Zo from annoying the shit out of Stella. Back then, he would constantly repeat himself and bring up topics that weren't exactly sensitive but a well-minded person would know better than to speak about them. More often than not, Stella would end up aiming kicks at Zo in attempts to get him to stop talking. They eventually calmed down, probably around the time they dated briefly, and Zo stopped being obnoxious and Stella stopped thoughtlessly letting her irritation get the better of her.

However, unlike with Lorenzo, Stella didn't want to hold her anger back with Dwalin. She wanted to kick him, she wanted to slap him, and why did Elrohir have the idea to give her a wooden staff because, oh, she really wanted to hit Dwalin over the head with it. Sadly, the day she tried, he had his back turned to her and Elrohir had to pull her away by her waist, laughing as he casually reminded her that she was in a place of honor and attacking people who had their backs turned was shameful.

What made Stella soften her attitude towards the dwarf was when she saw how he trained with the others in Thorin's Company. If everything else that happened in the movies was true, then the headbutting as a greeting had to be real. Stella may have made a habit out of kicking and she was rather fond of swinging her staff around but she was not as hardy as Dwarves. Anything they might consider a light tap would surely knock her out. She was not prideful enough to demand that Dwalin treated her the same way he treated Fili and Kili. Whenever he sparred with the other dwarves, there was no doubt that he utilized his entire strength. But when he was with Stella, there was a restraint to be noticed and Stella was very grateful for how Dwalin was training her in stages instead of just beating her until she progressed forcefully.

She took her training with Dwalin reluctantly until the day that he took her aside and sat her down for a lecture. He was not stern but he was not uncaring. There was a sense of passion in what he did. He stared Stella right in the eyes as he spoke about how beneficial training would be not only in battle but in daily life. If he trained her right, she would live the rest of her life cautiously but she would still live.

"I won't always be here to protect you, girl, and neither will that friend of yours" he told her as they sat cross-legged under a tree in the training grounds. "But I can damn well make sure that you can protect yourself."

The night she finally opened up to him was the night that he finally apologized. The longer the Company stayed in Rivendell, the longer they were willing to stay outdoors for a few more extra hours. Two and a half weeks past their arrival into the city, Stella found Dwalin sitting on a bench under the moonlight and white lanterns as he sharpened his axes. She glided over to him and delicately sat down next to him.

Things were quiet between them until he spoke up. "If there is one thing I regret after the time between us, it is the way I acted. I'm sorry that I ever tried to grab you but I don't expect your forgiveness."

She peered over at him but he never looked up from his axes. "That's a shame because you have it anyway."

"Do you always forgive so easily?"

Stella's hand twitched. "A few people have said so."

"I can't tell if that's one of your virtues or one of your faults," he smirked.

"I can't either," she admitted.

He said nothing after that. Her fingers fiddled around the bead of the top layer of her gold necklace. She gave it a small thought before she spoke up again.

"Malachite is a protection stone for travelers and children," Stella said as she pulled her necklace out from underneath the collar of a tunic Elrohir had made for her. "When I was three, I was both. So my parents gave me my first stone."

"Where did you go?" he asked after giving the green stone a brief but not cursory glimpse.

"Across the state," she shrugged. "I suppose if we walked for most of the day, it would take about...wow, a week and a half? I guess? We use transportation faster than horses where I'm from so I'm not entirely sure."

"And where are you from?" he inquired purposefully as he glanced at her.

"Very far away," she smiled before tapping her second stone. "This is black tourmaline. It's supposed to be a healing stone. My parents gave it to me when I asked them to take the bad thoughts away. I think I've been rather positive compared to how I used to be so it has to work."

"Very handy, that," he nodded.

She nodded as she stroked a thumb over the stone. Stella mused idly, "Maybe I'll find Thorin one."

Dwalin settled an axe on his knee as he snorted in amusement. He covered his eyes with a large hand before shaking his head and saying with a grin, "Perhaps you should, lass."

Stella rested her cheek on her fist with her elbow braced on her crossed knee as she stared at him. He ran a rough thumb along the sharpened edge of his axe before continuing to run the whetstone down the blade. It was no surprise how meticulous Dwalin was about the caring for his axes.

He had put one in her hands earlier in the week. "This is Grasper. It grasps your soul," he had told her as he stared down at the axe fondly before shifting his gaze to the one in his hand. "And this one Keeps it."

That was another reason why Stella grew gentle towards the older dwarf. She always had a strong admiration for anybody who named inanimate objects.

Stella played with the last bead in between her fingers for a while until Dwalin said without looking at her, "And that blue one there?"

"Lapis lazuli," she identified the stone immediately. "For love."

He raised a brow at her but said nothing.

"When I was younger, I met a boy. His name was David. We were together for a year. I said I loved him and he said he loved me back. And then one day...um, well, he changed his mind."

The whetstone froze midway down the blade as Dwalin's eyes flickered from his axe to straight ahead of him. His head turned slowly so he could look at her properly. He grimaced as he repeated, "Changed his mind?"

"Yeah," Stella nodded as she swallowed down the lump in her throat. "Um...about a month before, there was an...incident with some girls. They didn't like me."

Dwalin's gaze went down to her arms as Stella scratched absentmindedly at a few scars. "What did they do to you?"

"Just...something bad," she murmured. "Anyway, it left a few scars here and there. And, um, well, David decided he didn't like the scars so he didn't love me anymore. Silly, right?"

Stella gave Dwalin a sunny smile that didn't fool him for a second. His eyes narrowed as he stared at her for a long moment. Under the scrutiny of his gaze, Stella's smile wavered before dropping completely. Her lips trembled briefly until she took in a sharp breath through her nose and straightened her back.

"About a month after the incident, I caught David kissing another girl at a party," Stella waved a hand carelessly. "My sisters found out and they told my brother, who can't keep anything from our parents, but I didn't even know all of them knew until the day my parents sat me down in the kitchen and gave me my last necklace stone."

Stella tapped at the stone a few times before continuing on to fill the silence that she found too stifling all of a sudden. "I can't believe I was in love with such a jerk. I can't believe it was only four years ago, ugh. I guess that says a lot about me, falling in love with jerks. Can you imagine, I actually thought I was in love with Zo?"

"Are you not?" Dwalin asked as he turned back to sharpening his axes.

"What, me in love with Lorenzo?" she asked incredulously. "No! No, no, no. In another life, we would the best couple in the world. We'd be unstoppable. But this is this life and no."

"All of us were under the impression that you were quite attached to each other."

"Really? Well, we have been friends for almost seven years," Stella shrugged. Breathing was coming much easier to her once she realized she didn't have to talk about how she came about her stones anymore. "We're not best friends or anything but I honestly can't imagine life without Lorenzo Marchesi. My forever Lorenzo."

"Your Lorenzo?" he repeated in amusement. "Now I really don't believe you're not in love."

"You don't have to believe me. But it's true."

Stella reclined back on the bench until her sore arms were straining to hold her horizontal to the ground as her legs stretched out straight. Up above them, the stars twinkled brighter than she had ever seen before. She didn't think she could ever get used to the sight. One the second night they stayed in Rivendell, Stella and Zo went back to the room with the balcony and watched the stars for hours.

At home, Stella camped out in the backyard with her sister, Telma, all the time. They would lay down in the grass on sleeping bags and ate apple slices with peanut butter as they stared up at the sky. Even in the light-soaked city of San Diego where the stars were drowned out, Stella enjoyed star-gazing with her sister. But the sparse white dots in the sky were nothing compared to the sky in Rivendell, where the stars were dense and galaxies could be seen more clearly than Stella could ever imagine. On that second night after they arrived, Stella looked up at the night sky and Zo said he had never seen her eyes wider.

The sound of the whetstone running down the axe blade resonated in the silent courtyard until Dwalin asked, "Are you really a Seer?"

"I have an idea of the future of your quest, if that's what you're asking," Stella answered softly without looking away from the dark sky.

He exhaled heavily. "Gandalf told Thorin that it would be a good idea to have you come along with us."

"And Thorin said a loud, resounding no," Stella assumed.

"Aye," he confirmed. "He did."

Stella licked her lips and sighed. "Yeah."

"But you're not going to listen to Thorin," Dwalin stated matter-of-factly. "Are you?"

Stella blinked slowly up at the stars and imagined for a moment that they were winking back at her. Maybe, if she tried hard enough, Stella could imagine that Telma could talk to her through the stars. Telma always was more spiritual than the rest of the family. Telma saw and heard things other people couldn't. Maybe if Stella tried hard enough, she could get Telma to hear her.

She held her head back as she pulled herself back to sit properly on the bench. Stella let her head snap forward as she stared stoically over at the muscular dwarf. His brow was heavy and his mouth was stern underneath his dark brown beard. A thumb tapped at the handle of Grasper as he waited for her answer.

Stella glanced up at the crescent moon as she said, "Tell your king that he'll want Elrond to take a look at that map in two days."

She patted Dwalin on the shoulder twice as she stood up. He sat there, unmoving, as he watched her go. He put Grasper on the bench so he could turn his attention to Keeper.


	6. Chapter 6

Thorin's Company, Lorenzo, and Stella spent about three and a half weeks in Rivendell. In that time, Stella found friendship in Elrohir and Bilbo. The elf was continuously watching out for Stella and once he found out that she and Zo were wearing clothes they scrounged in the back of closets, he and his brother ensured that they would have clothes made suitable for lounging and - with a hint Stella was sure came from a certain wizard - traveling. Sure enough, less than a week before Midsummer's Day, a kind elleth presented them with new tunics, leggings, coats, and cloaks. Elrohir interrupted Dwalin's training one day to drag Stella to a bootmaker so she could finally stop walking around barefoot. When she returned to the training grounds, Dwalin's eyes flickered down to her leather bound feet and nodded in approval before he barked at her to get in the proper position to resume training. Elladan had expressed that Zo was more than welcome to have boots made for him as well so he could rid himself of the ones he arrived with, to which Zo replied with a bland, "Stay the hell away from my boots."

When the elleth returned to their room when Zo was gone, she handed Stella a small package wrapped in a red cloth.

"This prevents pain and messiness while traveling every month," she had told Stella. "All female Rangers use these. I hope they will last you long enough."

Stella took the package from the elleth before grasping her hands and whispering a well-deserved thank you.

The gifts that seemed especially useful for traveling showed up on Midsummer's Eve. Elrohir placed the carved staff Stella had been training with in her hands one last time as Elladan hooked a bow with a cache of arrows over Zo's shoulder and then handed him a sword. They both took a step back to assess the two foreigners in front of them. Stella and Zo had not changed much in appearance but there was now a purpose in her toe-to-heel step and he gained a few inches in height once he straightened his slouched posture.

"You're not ready," Elrohir grimaced.

"I doubt you'll ever be ready," Elladan continued.

They sighed and spoke in unison, "But at least you're prepared."

Stella and Zo glanced at each other and exchanged small smiles. "Enough of the sentimental crap," Zo waved a dismissive hand before he unsheathed his sword and goaded Elladan with an arrogant smile. "Let's practice."

After Elladan narrowed his eyes at his friend and commenced their daily routine, Stella wandered to Elrohir's side. "Lorenzo Marchesi actually initiating practice? Now I've seen everything."

"I think he finds far more enjoyment in tormenting my dear brother than practicing," Elrohir laughed under his breath.

"That I can understand," Stella agreed as her eyes followed the parring pair.

Elrohir went over the basics of swordsmanship with Stella, as Dwalin was late for training. It was a first and had the elf furrowing his eyebrows over it but Stella wasn't concerned. She had a vague idea of where he was at. Her suspicions were confirmed with the arrival of a Dwarven prince to the training ground.

Instead of sitting on a bench and smoking a pipe to watch, Thorin strode right up to Stella. She slowly lowered the wooden sword in her hand before turning to face him. Behind him, Bilbo skidded to a stop in the archway and threw her an exasperated and apologetic stare.

"I don't know what fallacies the wizard has told you about you being important to my quest but I assure you, you are not," Thorin said as soon as Stella gave him her full attention. "Do not follow us. You will only be a hindrance and not everyone can spare their attention to keep you alive."

Stella blinked at him before slowly tilting her head. He was just so charming.

"I bet you're a lot of fun at parties," she said without meaning to.

Thorin's left eye twitched but he made no other motion. "I will tell you only once more: do not follow."

She threw him a sarcastic smile before turning back to Elrohir. As Thorin stalked away, Elrohir called out, "Do not forget, Master Dwarf, the Elves will be gathering this night in the Hall of Fire. You and your Company are more than welcome to join!"

Thorin gave no indication if he heard him or if he would show.

* * *

That night, Stella and Zo were dragged from their room by the enthusiastic twins. At Elladan's goading, Zo brought along his violin. Zo could be heard playing from the inside of his room in the morning and evening but he had yet to play outside the presence of Stella. While they sat together in the Hall, she let him tap at the case before she grew tired of the sound and held his hand in hers. He huffed lightly but did not look away from the walls.

The Hall of Fire was not exactly what Stella expected. It was, quite literally, a hall with a large fire burning at the back of a stage. The stage was at the bottom of the hall with amphitheater seating. The architecture was as beautiful as it was intelligent. She was not sitting at the very back but she was far enough to realize that she could hear even a whisper on the stage. The hall was red and the fire lit the windows a streaming gold. Stella might have expected a little more but she was more than satisfied with what she sat in.

The Hall was by no means packed when they arrived but it was still moderately full. As elves took turns singing and playing instruments, more elves trickled in to take seats around her. Sometime during one elf's song, Bilbo sneaked in to sit in front Stella. He gave her a soft smile but said nothing.

Stella thought their music was beautiful and that was why she kept prodding Zo to take his turn. It was amazing to hear their culture through music and she wanted them to hear what her own home had to offer. Zo was by no means shy but sometimes Stella wondered.

At long last, Zo was pulled to the center of the stage by Elladan. Once Elladan left the stage, Zo stiffened and gave the crowd an awkward nod before placing his case on the floor and carefully taking his violin out. It was so quiet in the Hall that Stella imagined that she could hear Zo's breathing, just as she always did when he practiced in their room. His eyes were closed and his bow visibly hesitated over the strings before finally falling.

The first few notes were quick and sounded happy but the few sharp notes that came in-between slowly and then frantically gave the piece a whole new, darker sound. The music bounced off the walls and the shadows behind Zo flickered angrily behind him the faster he played. Stella leaned forward to place her elbows on her knees and press her fingertips to her mouth. Zo hadn't played that piece since they arrived. All of his songs were sweet and reminded her of home. That one still reminded her of home but in a bitter sense. That one reminded her of all the bad things of home and how she would never see them again.

All the elves around her were still. From the corner of her eyes, Stella could see some sit straighter with each high note. There were a few moments in the piece where Zo would pause and almost lower his bow, only to take inhale sharply and continue playing. He would pause again and instead of continuing to play quickly, Zo's brows furrowed and he looked almost broken as he played a darker section that was slow and haunting. Before anybody knew it, he played one last high note and then abruptly lowered his bow and violin and bowed. Stella felt like she was lost in Zo's music and an entire lifetime could have passed but she was sure he only played few more than a couple of minutes. He quickly packed his violin and left the stage. It was only when he was halfway back to his seat that the elves began to clap.

Zo nodded to those who offered their compliments as he sat stiffly next to Stella. She gave him a sweet smile before kissing his knuckles.

"That one was amazing," she spoke softly so she would not interrupt the elf that was currently singing. "What's it called?"

He leaned down to rest his cheek on the top of her head and replied simply, "Obsession."

They were again silent until an interruption came in the form of a small boy. He arrived halfway through a song and sat at Zo's right. Stella gave him a small smile but said nothing, just as he didn't. The boy's gray eyes flickered to Zo's calloused fingers a few times. It was a while before he said anything.

When he finally did speak, it was to say, "The piece you played was absolutely amazing, Master Lorenzo."

Zo peered down, making the boy's smile waver a bit, until he smiled down back at him. "Thanks, kid."

"How long did you have to practice to play that well?"

"I've been playing for maybe eight years. Do you play any instruments?"

The boy looked downcast. "No. Lord Elrond says I should focus on my studies. But my teachers tell me I am a decent singer."

"There's your instrument," Zo told him gently. "You don't need a shiny thing or a something with strings to bring music into your life. All you need is your voice."

"You really think so?" the boy began to look hopeful.

"I should know; I'm a music instructor," Zo smirked. "You know my name. But what's yours?"

"Oh," the boy grinned bashfully. "My name is Estel."

Stella stiffened in her seat before slowly turning to look at the boy. She did not mean to eavesdrop on their conversation. She wasn't even listening to them fully, only catching a few words here and there. But once Estel's name dropped, Stella did not bother to give the performances her attention anymore.

The future King of Gondor was small. He was the average size of a ten-year-old, Stella supposed, but anybody under the age of twelve seemed tiny to her. Even the occasional few who were taller than her still seemed small in her eyes. His dark hair curled around his cheeks and his gray eyes were wide as he stared up at Zo. Her friend continued to speak to the boy, not realizing who he was.

It was so strange seeing him so diminutive. Stella could barely imagine it herself that the boy was detrimental into leading Middle Earth out of its age of darkness. The boy would fight in wars, become king, and marry an elf. Stella knew that Aragorn came to Rivendell at a young age after losing his father but she never thought she would actually meet him.

No, he was not Aragorn. Not even Strider. The boy was still Estel.

"Who is he?" came a voice to Stella's left.

She jumped in surprise before whirling around to see Thorin's dark blue eyes. Ignoring her pounding heart, Stella said flippantly, "Who is who?"

"The boy," he pressed. "Do not pretend as if I did not notice your reaction to him. Who is he?"

She shifted in her seat, not quite as uncomfortable as she was upset. There were a few fleeting moments when Stella thought of her future in the new world. In her smallest fantasies, Stella was still a young girl with a book and she entertained the idea of growing old and having the opportunity to meet Aragorn and Gimli and Legolas and Frodo.

Reality had slapped her fantasies in the face. She wanted to be old and meet Aragorn the King! Not Estel the Boy. How could she look at Estel in the face, knowing what he would have to do when he was older? As her eyes flickered down to Bilbo in front of her, another though flew threw her mind and cast an ache in her chest. God, how could she look at Bilbo, knowing what his nephew would have to endure? Frodo wasn't even born yet and Estel was so wide-eyed. Children were always a weakness for Stella and Estel was still so small in her eyes.

Was that what it felt like to be a parent? She hated it. She hated caring so much for boys who weren't even hers.

She set her jaw and turned back to Thorin, who was growing more impatient. His eyes flashed when he caught the stricken look on her face. "He is... He is the future. He will be...the greatest King Gondor has ever seen."

Stella was sure that Thorin caught the hitch in her voice as she spoke but he thankfully made no mention of it. He made no mention of anything else at all. His gaze was not unkind but merely inquisitive as he stared at Estel. The boy was still happily chatting with Zo, catching nothing amiss around him. Stella glanced at Estel sadly one last time and then did not allow herself to look at him again.

When she found herself longing to sneak another peek at Estel, maybe even hugging him, Stella was saved by the twins.

"Come, darling Stella," they spoke cheerfully at the same time as each one grabbed one of her hands. "You claim to be a dancer. Dance for us!"

They pulled her away from Thorin and Zo to drag her down the steps and push her toward the stage.

With a laugh, she dug her heels into the ground to hold herself back. "I'm a rather particular dancer. I need a staff that can be lit on fire on one or both ends. Even one of the lantern staffs will do in a hurry."

Elrohir, who already had a general idea of what Stella's profession was, nodded thoughtfully while Elladan appeared to be startled. His brother was already murmuring away to an elleth, who was baffled but walked out of the room, while Elladan was still staring at Stella as if she was an entirely new species. Her smile up at him was entirely too innocent for him to be comfortable with. When the elleth returned, she held a staff with rags tied on either end in one hand and a bucket of thick sap in the other Elrohir visibly brightened as he took the items away from her.

He handed the staff and bucket to Stella and explained, "The sap is flammable. It will quickly catch fire but it is thick enough to not drip on you. The rags should prevent the staff from burning."

"Be careful," Elladan warned as Stella stepped to the stage.

She offered him a more genuine smile as she tied her hair up with one of the spare rubber bands she miraculously found lurking at the bottom of her school bag. The elves were still speaking softly to one another as she set the stage. Stella put the bucket behind the pyre and stepped to center stage to twirl the staff in one hand so she could test its weight. She grimaced at the thought of performing with no music. But there at the other end of the stage was a guitar resting against the wall and Stella smiled.

"Pretty boy!" she called up, catching Zo's attention. A small part in the back of her mind grumbled over the fact that he looked up so quickly. "Come play something fun for me."

With a sigh that was far more theatrical than necessary, Zo placed his violin case on Estel's lap with a wink and then made his way to meet her. She glanced pointedly at the guitar once he stood in front of her. He rolled his eyes and dramatically turned to grab the guitar and make himself comfortable on the floor. Stella rolled her eyes at him as he tuned the guitar. He always acted like he wasn't pleased to play music. Once the instrument was tuned to Zo's satisfaction, he gave her a thumbs up.

Stella turned and smiled widely once she caught glimpse of Bifur and Bofur, who barely showed up with the rest of the Company. She clapped her hands and the Hall went silent to give Stella their full attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am an entertainer. My style of dancing may seem dangerous but I assure you that I have it under control. Also, my dance may seem unorthodox to you and it probably is, but...well, who cares, because at least I get paid."

There were a few titters of laughter as Stella spun around to the back behind the pyre. After nodding her head, Zo began to strum at the guitar strings. She swayed neutrally until she got a feel for the music as she dipped the rags into the sap. It was definitely softer and slower than Stella was used to but she managed. After all, it wasn't as if Zo could all of a sudden play the drums for a heavy beat. Stella learned with slow music so she could easily go back to the basics.

She dipped the ends of the staff into the fire until the rags were lit. When Stella emerged from behind the pyre as she spun the staff behind her, the elves in front of her gasped. She lived for the moment first timers witnessed a fire dance.

Stella was generally the first dancer in her dance group so she got the brunt of the initial astonishment. What she received were gasps of awe, which she absolutely liked, while her co-workers received the screams of enjoyment. Stella's single staff and Frank's double staff were rather tame compared to Liz's fire fan, Jody's hoop, and Dylan's poi. Of course, there was always that delicious moment when all of them joined the stage at one time to put their props down so they could all pick up wands for fire breathing. But, somehow, Stella didn't think that would go down well with the elves.

Ah, well, it's not like she had any paraffin with her anyway.

It was a bit tricky dancing with the dress she had on. There was no set uniform with her dance group so she usually chose to wear as little as possible. She generally settled for a simple bandeau with shorts or a skirt. At least the dress she wore wasn't particularly heavy.

Stella smiled to herself as she listened to the elves clap after she tossed the staff high into the air and bent backwards onto one hand and pulled her feet over her head before she caught the staff again. She always imagined elves to be far more graceful and composed than humans but when faced with something new, they were just as enthusiastic.

Zo's music was quick and just as loud in the Hall as his violin playing but Stella only heard the rushing sound of the flames flowing past her every time the staff spun past her ear. She had long ago learned to ignore the heat. The only time she ever really felt it was when she carried the flame in her hand to light one end of the staff with the fire from the other or when she used a wand for fire eating. As she danced in front of the Elves, she did have a brief moment when she thought her hair caught on fire when she spun the staff on her shoulder blades as she bent down at the waist but all was fine. She was in her element, after all.

When she noticed that the flames were slowly dying down, she had to shoot Zo a look to get him to slow down the music to a close and she finished her dance. Stella gave the staff one last twirl before she held it horizontally behind her and gave the crowd the bow. Many of the elves – and a few of the dwarves – were still with eyes and mouth rounded before a kind soul began to clap. The frozen ones blinked in surprise before clapping enthusiastically. Stella gave them a sunny smile and bowed again before bowing to Zo, as she always did to the musicians after a dance.

Elrohir took a step forward to guide Stella out of the Hall so she could set the still warm staff in buckets of water waiting outside. Elladan had excitedly followed and exclaimed, "Our darling dancer! I had no idea fire could be tamed in such a way! You are truly one of a kind!"

"Not at all," Stella grinned. "I'm just one dancer out of five in my group and there are hundreds of fire dancers in my country."

"As we are not in your country, we can safely say you are unique here," Elladan continued as he slung an arm over Stella's shoulders.

The twins were still speaking happily over Stella's head when she returned to Zo's side. Most of the Company was missing when she came back but Bifur, Bofur, Dwalin, and Ori remained. They all took turns giving their compliments to Stella's dancing and Zo's playing.

"Now I know where you some of your 'unorthodox' moves came from," Dwalin mused.

"Yeah, it's hard to purposefully not use moves that come naturally," Stella laughed. "But I think I'll get it right. Eventually."

"Yeah, eventually," Dwalin scoffed before placing a heavy hand on her head. "You were good, lass."

"Thanks, Dwalin," she smiled up at him from under his hand.

Ever since he apologized, she felt far more amiable towards Dwalin than she ever had. She could appreciate a person who recognized their faults and were willing to apologize for them. Even though his statement was simple, it still filled Stella with as much warmth as it did when her _tatay_ saw her dance for the first time.

* * *

The halls were dark but there were still a few elves milling about. Stella and Zo had long since retired to their room after the performances in the Hall of Fire. It was taking a while for her to fall asleep but she lied still and listened to the sound of Zo's deep breathing. She had just rolled over to her side when there was a soft knocking at the door. She glanced at Zo, who did not even stir, before slipping out from under the covers and going to the door.

On the other side was a fidgety Bilbo. He caught an eyeful of Stella's thin nightgown before he cleared his throat and pointedly looked away. Blessed Bilbo. If she was at home, Stella would probably never be friends with a person like him. Bilbo was far too conservative for her tastes but for some reason, their friendship came naturally between them. If she wasn't training and he wasn't in the library, they were more often than not together. Every day, she would join him for tea in one of the gardens. She would share with him some of her favorite teas that she used to drink with her family and he would show her some of his favorite flowers. Occasionally, Dori would join them for tea and Ori would bring along books but tea time was always an event that brought Bilbo and Stella closer.

It was that closeness that convinced Bilbo to say goodbye. After Stella tugged him into her room and pulled a blanket over her shoulders, they sat together by the window. Bilbo glanced at Zo to check if he was still sleeping before turning to his friend.

"I just wanted to say goodbye," he spoke softly. "The past few weeks have been heavenly and it's wretched to part from you."

"Goodbye?" Stella repeated in confusion. Ah, right, nobody told him.

"Lord Elrond read Thorin's map earlier tonight. The dwarves mean to slip away just before the dawn. He told me and Bofur not to tell you but I couldn't," Bilbo explained.

"Oh, Bilbo," she smiled at him as she drew him into a hug. "Thank you."

"There's no need to thank me," she could hear his smile as he burrowed his face into the crook of her neck.

She ruffled through his sandy hair with her fingertips. "Yes, there is. I'm glad you're my friend."

The moonlight cast a blue light in the bedroom. Stella looked out the window up at the stars. Somewhere in Rivendell, Elrond was getting ready to fetch Gandalf to meet with Galadriel and Saruman. In that time, Thorin would be preparing his Company to sneak off into the dawn. Bilbo would not see this city again until Erebor was reclaimed and Thorin, Fili, and Kili were dead. Stella had not spent much time with either of them but Bilbo was constantly bouncing around in everybody's company. How would he go on? He scarcely mentioned anybody in the Company when he was brought up in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Did Bilbo ever honestly move on or did he just bury it away? Stella wondered sometimes. She would have to ask his advice for coping when Zo was long gone and she was left behind...

"I will miss you very much," Bilbo sighed as he pulled away.

She smiled again at him as she cupped his face in her hands. "We'll see each other again."

He looked vulnerable for a moment. "Can you promise that?"

"Pinky promise," she winked as she curled her smallest finger around his. "Cross my heart."

His smile was not as assured as hers but then again, she knew better than he did. Way better. When they whispered their goodnights – his final one, he thought – and Bilbo wandered back into the room he shared with the rest of the Company, Stella curled back under the covers and nudged her way under Zo's arms.

He startled awake before sleepily settling back as he wrapped his arms around her. Stella held him tightly and rubbed her cold nose into his bare chest. Not entirely sure if he was completely awake, she whispered, "You ready?"

It was a long stretch of silence so she assumed he was still asleep. It was only after she readjusted herself and closed her eyes that he replied softly, "Nah."

She nodded and sighed shakily. "Me neither."

After that, sleep came easily but it did not last.

* * *

**Tagalog translations:  
**Tatay - dad

**A/N:** I got more reviews and I am incandescently happy! I wish I got this chapter out sooner to express my gratitude but, man, college is keeping me super busy.

When I don't have the time to write out an entire chapter, I write a few excerpts here and there for future chapters and continue my rough outline of how far this story will go. And let me tell you, this story is getting way bigger than what I expected. Whoa. I'll leave it at that.

I can't wait to see what I'll come up with next and I hope you'll stay with me every step of the way (:


	7. Chapter 7

"…so by the time I figure out what the hell is going on, Rowen is screaming his ass off, there are cops everywhere, and they're all like, 'Get down on the fucking ground! Get the fuck down!' And I'm like –"

"What are you two doing here?" Thorin's stern voice cut Zo's captivating tale short.

Zo sighed heavily at the interruption as Stella cocked her head and furrowed her brows at Thorin. She adjusted the packed bag on her back uncomfortably, already missing the backpack she arrived with. Elrohir had assured her that the one he gave her would be more suitable for traveling but it was the principle of the idea. She arrived one way and she still had miles to go before she was finished but it already felt like everything about her was being erased. Those were the thoughts that plagued her as she and Zo walked the path that the dwarves obviously were on.

They had left only an hour or so after the Company did. The Company wasn't exactly crafty in their departure. Stella could still see them trailing along the edge of a mountainside from a balcony window when Elladan burst into the room to announce that he had heard from Lindir about the missing dwarves. He was still rambling away to Zo when Stella noticed Bilbo turning back. For a moment, she thought he was staring right at her as Bofur pat him on the back and turned back with a glance of his own. She fought the urge to wave as they both turned away at Thorin's call.

After Elladan informed them about the Company, Stella and Zo were left alone in their room again. Zo had played one last song that was brief but sweet, like a relationship that was passionate but doomed to fail, for her but he could not bring himself to play longer. With the violin packed away, they sat together in silence until Gandalf arrived. He shut the door quietly behind them before pulling up a seat between them.

"I suggest waiting another thirty minutes before following," he spoke softly. "They took the mountain road. They will not expect you to follow so they will not be traveling in stealth. It should be easy for you to find them."

"Should be?" Zo repeated with a small glare.

Before Gandalf could reply, Stella interrupted, "Ignore him. We're both a bit...unwilling to go. But we will."

Gandalf peered at them both carefully before nodding slowly. He eventually left to return to the clutches of Saruman. Stella did not envy him on that. She had no idea what he would be up to for the next few days until he arrived in the goblin caves but she had a feeling Gandalf would be shaking off the White Wizard for a while.

The good thing about leaving later was the opportunity for Stella and Zo to say their own goodbyes to the twins. Their well-wishes were bittersweet as they knew that Zo would never see them again. Elladan had become more than a trainer to Zo. Whenever Stella was off with Dwalin or Bilbo, Zo would spend all of his time with the twins. She doubted they replaced Zo's best friend, Rowan, from home but they came very close. Neither of them told the twins of who they were or where they came from, but Elladan and Elrohir seemed to sense how permanent their goodbyes were. Stella fiddled with the clasp of the dark blue cloak they gave her as the twins gathered Zo into a tight group hug. When Elladan and Zo were still embracing, Elrohir let go to tackle Stella into a new little hug.

Elladan and Elrohir were wonderfully mischievous. Their nature gave Stella and Zo the promise that they would hold off Lindir and Elrond once they left. It was a shame that Stella wasn't able to at least tell Elrond goodbye. She was rather fond of the Elven lord. She had a feeling he was rather fond of her, as well, especially after he caught her telling off the dwarves when she found them rambunctiously jumping in and defacing one of the large fountains. Naked. But discretion was necessary. She tried to keep her optimism up by telling herself that maybe one day, after Lorenzo was gone, she would return and see Elrond and the twins again.

Finding the trail the dwarves were one was easy enough. They clearly did not step lightly. All along their path were the footprints of heavy boots. When they first found the trail, Stella sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was no wonder those damn orcs found them so easily. She would have to have a talk about it with Dwalin.

Stella was content with trailing after them in silence. Zo was too until about an hour into walking. It was only then that he started catching her up on his life since the last time they had saw each other when they were at home. He was in the middle of a story that Stella was about 75% sure was completely fabricated when they finally caught up with Thorin's Company.

"Just taking a morning stroll," she answered amiably with a shrug to Thorin's inquiry.

"Did I not tell you to refrain from following us?" he voice lowered as he took a step forward.

"Well, dear Thorin," Stella grinned cheekily as she and Zo stepped past the Company, "as we are now in front and you behind, _you_ are the ones following _us_. Stalkers. Naughty."

"So, anyway," Zo continued before Thorin could say anymore, "Rowen is screaming and the cops are yelling and everyone else was just, like, watching. And I was like, 'God..._again_?' All in all, it was a typical Thursday."

"Super typical," Stella nodded. "Sounds like my usual Monday, really."

There was some grumbling going on behind them but Stella and Zo had barely made it around the curve of the hill before there was the sound of dwarves following behind. As they caught up, Stella heard the signature heavy steps of a certain dwarf coming up behind them quickly.

"I knew you would follow," Dwalin said disapprovingly, although his eyes were lit in amusement.

"Is that why it was so easy to find your path?" she tsked. "No wonder those orcs keep finding you. For shame, Dwalin, for shame."

"What do you mean, easy?" he demanded to know.

At once, Stella and Zo stopped to turn and raise their brows at him. They waited as the rest of the Company walked past before Stella stared pointedly at the mess left behind. Stella and Zo were by no means trackers but even they could see the heavy footprints left in the bent grass, the broken branches, and crushed leaves left behind. Dwalin heaved a sighed and rubbed a calloused hand through his dark hair.

"Dwarrows by no means tread lightly. But even we could avoid this." His hand moved down to stroke his beard in contemplation as his left hand rested on the axe hanging from his belt. "Not even halfway there and our laziness is getting the best of us. Shameful, if even you could easily find us."

"Oi," Stella lightly smacked his shoulder with the back of her hand.

His lips twitched, albeit barely. But he remained solemn as they slowly trailed after the Company. The Company had yet to realize anything was going on behind them, though Thorin and Bilbo would periodically turn around to see what was happening with the last three people trailing slowly behind them.

"I'll talk to Thorin about this," Dwalin muttered as he quickened his pace to catch up to his king.

As soon as Dwalin was at the front of the group, Bilbo quickly ducked from under Fili and Kili's arms and backpedaled to walk in-between Stella and Zo. She immediately pulled Bilbo in by his neck and buried her nose into his curls. He begrudgingly accepted the treatment, even briefly nuzzling back into her, before he regained his senses and waved her away.

"You horrid girl, you let me believe that last night really was goodbye," he scolded.

"Well, it was. It was goodbye until the morning," Stella remarked.

Bilbo huffed. "That's not what I thought and you know it!"

"I did say we would see each other again. I pinky promised."

The hobbit pouted so adorably that Stella couldn't help but coo over him, making him angrier. After he stomped away, Stella glanced up to see Zo already peering down at her. She mischievously grinned as he smirked and threw an arm around her shoulders. She really had been spending too much time with him. Before she met Zo, Stella never realized how much fun pushing other people's buttons was. Poor Bilbo for being Stella's center of attention. But she knew he loved it. He was used to Fili and Kili, after all. Speaking of which...

She tugged on Zo's hand and forcefully pulled him forward and pushed him to the side until the last group in the Company formed a line with Stella and Zo on the outside with Kili, Bilbo, and Fili in the middle. Bilbo huffed in exasperation but said nothing at all. Fili and Kili started in surprise when Stella and Zo threw their arms around the dwarves, just as they did to the hobbit between them. Similar expressions overtook their faces as Fili soaked in Zo's stoic face and Kili slightly leaned away from Stella's grin. Zo had a point when he said that a few of dwarves in the Company were taller than her but she was a little satisfied that at the very least, she was an inch or so taller than Kili.

"Fili and Kili," Stella breathed out. "It's thrilling to finally be able to speak with you."

"Thrilling?" Fili asked.

"Us?" Kili echoed.

"Oh, yes," Stella nodded. "Who wouldn't be excited? I mean, Fili and Kili. Kili and Fili. The Dwarf Princes who are together so often that their names are rarely, if ever, said separately. _Fili and Kili."_

"Well, stop that lest you wish to see us blush," Kili smiled cheekily.

"Tell us, Lady," Fili leaned forward to address the woman at the end of the line, "you seem to know us so well but will you not inform us even a little of you?"

Stella blinked at him before throwing Zo a lazy yet slightly impish grin. "Did you hear that, Zo? He called me a Lady."

"You poor, unknowledgeable bastard," Zo shook his head at the fair-haired prince before him. "Use your eyes and you'll see her true form. She's a demon with ombré hair."

"That's no way to talk of a lady," Stella said snootily but could not hide her amusement. "Bilbo, go kick him for me."

"Oh, because that's ladylike," Zo rolled his eyes.

"Silence, peasant," she wrinkled her nose up at him. With a small wink, she turned away to look upon the bemused Fili. "What would you like to know?"

"Gandalf said you were a Seer. Long has it been since one roamed the lands. Do you know of the outcome of our quest?" he asked immediately.

"Will you not tell us? Or Thorin, at the least?" Kili jumped in eagerly.

Before Stella could even think about being irritated with that damn dwarf or that beloved wizard – for heaven's sake, was there _nobody_ he hadn't told? – Bilbo waved them away and shoved himself between her and Kili to act as a barrier. She had no doubt that anybody paying attention could see how fondly she looked down at Hobbit before her. Blessed Bilbo.

"That'll be enough Seer questions, thank you very much!" He waved away their protestations before turning to the girl with his expression softening. "Yesterday, we were speaking of family. Will you not tell me more of your siblings?"

"My siblings," Stella repeated as she thought about it. "Hmm. Well, let's see. I've told you plenty about Telma. Ruth is older than me by two years. She's studying to be a children's teacher. We usually don't get along because I think she's snooty and she thinks I'm childish."

"If she wants to teach kids, then shouldn't she be glad to be getting plenty of practice with you?" Zo questioned slyly.

Stella's eyes hooded over at his question but she did not retort. Instead, she continued on as Bilbo, Fili, and Kili paid strict attention. "But she's not all bad. I mean, she's my sister. My hero. Even if she is irritating."

She smiled along as the shorter men knowingly chuckled. Fili playfully shoved Kili, who slightly glared before grinning brilliantly. Stella was not the only one who looked on wistfully. She was sure there was more to the story when Bilbo said he was an only child. After all, why would his father build such a large Hobbit hole for his wife and then only end up having one child? The question rang in Stella's mind when Bilbo told her but she didn't dare voice it. Lorenzo's eyes were filled with longing but when his gaze flickered up to meet hers, all expression was replaced with a blank mask. She lamented the loss but there was nothing for her to say. So she kept speaking.

"Uri is the youngest at 15 and he's my only brother. My poor brother and _tatay_," she laughed. "Stuck in a house with four women."

"Your poor brother?" Zo snapped out his stupor. "My poor mother! One woman with three idiot sons. _La mia povera mamma! Mi dispiace per tutti i problemi che abbiamo causato ti_."

"Is that the language of your people?" Bilbo perked up. "What did you say it was called, Stella?"

"Italian," Zo answered for her. "The language of the people of Italy, where I was born."

"It's extremely beautiful," Bilbo complimented.

"Thank you," Zo tilted his head in thanks. "It's unfortunate that you'll never hear my Mamma speak it. When she speaks, it is like hearing the angels themselves."

His voice was filled with such sadness that when he did not continue, Bilbo hastily turned to the lone female in the group. When she only shrugged – for what was there she could say or do? – he faltered. Thankfully, the moment was saved by one of the dwarves.

"Where do you hail from, Lady Stella?" Kili asked, purposefully emphasizing the title with a lascivious grin.

She returned the grin as she answered, "I was born in America. But my parents were from the Philippines. They raised my siblings and me to speak their native language, Tagalog, before English. Or Common. Whatever."

"That explains your accent," Kili said bluntly. She furrowed her brows but did not stop the tilting smile. He said nothing more but his brother carried on.

"So you are like us," Fili surmised. "You've never seen your true home – the home of your people."

"America is my home," Stella corrected. "But I have gone to live with relatives in the Philippines before. We usually go every other summer."

"Is it beautiful?"

"It is," she confirmed. "But that never made it home."

Zo seemed to be the only one who understood what Stella was talking about. Although Fili and Kili exchanged similar expressions involving furrowed brows and twisted lips, Bilbo was the one who moved the conversation along. At his behest, Stella was goaded into talking about school and her work. Bilbo, Fili, and Kili made a valiant attempt to bring Zo into the conversation but Lorenzo was always a person who would rather contribute to talks at his own volition and not at the persuasions of others.

* * *

They all walked well through the entire day. Stella didn't like the sound of her own whining so she kept complaints of her aching feet to herself. Zo made no mention of his own discomfort but she was sure that his boots were uncomfortable. But, then again, Zo always was far more stubborn than she was.

Thorin decided to settle under a very large tree that offered a great deal of shelter. The sun was setting and cast a golden glow along the green trees. The white clouds were illuminated with bright rays of orange and pink light. Stella spared a smile at the sky that greatly reminded her of home before she was pulled along with Fili and Kili to gather wood for the fire. Zo was left alone with the other dwarves and though he remained for the most part silent, Bofur and Bombur were surprised to gain his assistance in cooking dinner. Appreciative, but still surprised.

As the other dwarves sat around the fire, cheerfully sharing stories, Stella was surprised when Kili asked for a private moment. The glances of a few of the others were speculative but nobody said anything. Zo made it clear who was to become his second companion on the quest as he let out a wolf whistle with a nudge towards the leering Fili. Their grins did not dissipate even when Kili glared their way and Stella sent her friend the apparently universally well-known middle finger.

The two of them left the warmth of the fire to sit across each other under a large tree some distance away. They were well outside hearing distance from the Company but still quite visible. Stella waited patiently as Kili ripped at the grass underneath him. After a small pile of grass built up in front of him, he spoke.

"Earlier, you said your parents' land was beautiful," he began hesitantly, "but you said it wasn't home."

She tilted her head. "Well, it wasn't."

"But shouldn't it have been?"

"Why would it?" Stella didn't understand. "It was my parents' home. It was never mine."

"Aren't you proud of your parents' home?"

"Of course. I'm proud of my heritage. But I'm also proud of where I grew up. I'll always love the Philippines but in my heart, San Diego will always be my first home. I don't know if I'll ever be able to call another place home, to be honest."

At her words, Kili's brow furrowed. Even when his head bowed, she could see the clenching in his jaw. He had resumed tugging at the grass by the roots.

"Kili, what's this about?"

He was silent and for a moment, Stella thought he wouldn't answer. When he did, his voice was far too flippant for her to believe. "Fili and I were raised with stories of Erebor's grandeur. We heard stories all our lives about how one day, the Dwarves would have their home back. I was excited to join the quest, I still am, but…I miss Ered Luin. Not that I am not eager to recover Erebor, of course. It's only - "

"Kili," Stella cut off his rambling by placing cold fingertips over one of his warm hands. "Ered Luin is all you've ever known. There is no shame in calling it home, before or after Erebor."

"I just," he paused to swallow nervously. "It seems like everyone else is feeling like they're heading home and I'm walking further away from mine."

"You are," Stella pointed out. "But that doesn't mean you can't go back. Just think of it as getting Thorin's home back before going back to yours."

"Like Bilbo," his lips twitched into a smile.

"And Zo," she added, though her smile fell away as quickly as his appeared.

"And you," he continued and his grin ever growing.

When she said nothing, he looked up from his piling grass hill and was caught in surprise by the heavy weight of sadness on her face. Everything screamed heartbreak about Stella. He had seen it before.

Kili no longer remembered his father but there were times that he caught his mother by herself and he knew that there could not be anybody else that she would be thinking about. When she thought nobody was paying attention, his _amad_ would sometimes slip from a room to stand at the fireplace. She rarely showed any expression on her face as she stared at the flames so nobody thought anything was wrong for the longest time.

It wasn't until those who knew how to look noticed how her lips pursed and placed a hand on her shoulder, as if holding another hand that wasn't there. Kili had grown up seeing sadness, even if nobody wanted to talk about it.

Stella was not stoic like Kili's _amad_ was. On the contrary, she wore all of her emotions on her face, as if she wanted the world to know what she was feeling. His mother was sturdy and careful; Stella was wispy and reckless. Everything about them was exact opposites. But as Kili took in Stella's hunched over shoulders, the faraway look in her eyes, and how her slender hands twirled around the gemstones on her necklace, all he saw was his mother.

"No," she said so softly that Kili almost missed it. "Not me. Home is behind me now."

Kili glanced back at the crowded fire. Her friend, the tall one, stood out significantly. If it weren't for his height or his clothes, it would be for the way he had his arms folded over his knees and stared over at the two of them with no expression on his face whatsoever. Kili caught his eye immediately and neither of them made any move to look away from each other. Stella's friend seemed to sigh before his eyes flickered towards her. The way he looked upon her was strange. There was fondness, regret, and a small bit of longing, but he did nothing. He did not meet Kili's eyes again; instead, he turned to Fili and continued whatever conversation they were having before.

"Lady Stella?" Kili asked hesitantly.

She abruptly stood up, making him blink in surprise before he scrambled off the floor too. "Nothing I can do about it. The world is ahead."

Even if he had any semblance of an idea of what to say, she did not allow him time to say it. Her strange black and gold hair flicked out behind her as she spun away. She briskly walked back towards the Company. She stepped over Nori's lounging form and bypassed Bilbo, whose assessing gaze matched Thorin's as they watched her walk through the camp, before she sat by Zo's feet. She kept her back to the rest of the Company as she folded her arms over her friend's knees and buried her head in his lap. He did not deviate from his conversation with Fili, though his long fingers immediately began to stroke through her hair.

Fili glanced at the young woman before him before he turned to look back at Kili in curiosity. Kili had yet to make his way back from the safety of the tall tree. He slightly shook his head at his brother as the fingers in his pocket lightly stroked the token his _amad_ had given him before he left. Like Zo, Fili did nothing and turned back to the conversation, leaving Kili feeling slightly lost yet relieved.

* * *

**Italian translations:  
**La mia povera mamma! Mi dispiace per tutti i problemi che abbiamo causato ti – My poor mother! I'm sorry for all the trouble we have caused you

**Khuzdul translations:  
**Amad – mother

**Tagalog translations:  
**Tatay – dad


	8. Chapter 8

One of the logs popped in the fire. After Kili returned to the rest of the Company, he pushed away his curious, whispering brother and everyone decided to get some rest before waking early the next day. For the next few days, Stella and Zo were left at one end of the camp while everyone else seemed to congregate around Thorin. Bilbo alone was the exception. Although he was still slightly miffed at her earlier fib, he was not hesitant to curl up behind Stella's back as he lied down to sleep. Stella and Zo didn't mind. The former enjoyed Bilbo's presence and the latter had nothing to say ever since Stella returned to the fire.

Zo was flat on his back asleep and Stella originally was facing him as she rested on her side but she had long since turned her back on him. Instead, she turned about until Bilbo wriggled himself under her arms and nestled his head under her chin so his curls tickled her nose. Bilbo was surprisingly affectionate for a male who was as prickly as he was. Perhaps it was because he had been alone for so long.

While they were in Rivendell, Bilbo revealed to her how his parents died slightly younger than most and, though he had already reached his majority when they passed, it still hurt to think about how much he missed them. Of course, he only confided in her when he caught her in the middle of a comment that insinuated she was most likely never going to see her family again. She had not meant to reveal that to him. She had only just met him and it was an entirely personal bit of information. But in the moments that they shared their pain over lost loved ones, Stella immediately felt a kinship with the hobbit.

After all, Stella's only connection to home was Lorenzo, who never lost anybody in his life. Stella was horrible enough to think to herself that the only loss he suffered was his father, who was not really a loss at all. She was, thankfully, tactful enough to not say out loud that Zo's father chose to leave. Stella never wanted to leave her family. But she had no choice…

And being around elves was infinitely worse. They were beings that lived forever. They only ever suffered loss in war and battles. They at least had the comfort of knowing that they would see their loved ones again after they sailed away to Valinor.

It was strange for her to realize that she would never see her family again. Sometimes she would think she was still in deep denial but then the ache would start in her chest and her bones would feel heavy and then it was as if all the air had been sucked out of her lungs. Zo never experienced such an ache so even though he tried to comfort her, he just could not understand. Only those who knew loss brought her consolation.

And that's where Bilbo Baggins came in. He understood. Oh, Stella was positively sure that the dwarves understood as well but she couldn't understand Bifur, Bofur never seemed to want to talk about anything negative, and the rest didn't want to talk to her. And so she pursued her friendship with the hobbit. He wasn't as nice to cuddle as Bofur (who, unfortunately, had to restrict their hugging time ever since everyone left Rivendell) but Stella still enjoyed holding on to him as she would Uri.

Blessed Uri, her sweet little brother, was commonly defined as rather abrasive but always allowed Stella to cling on to him like a monkey whenever she was feeling rather affectionate. And Uri never made her wait long for a hug. He would always spare a moment to wrap a thin arm around her equally thin neck before lovingly bumping his head against hers.

Sometimes, when she thought nobody was looking, Stella would catch herself placing a hand on her opposite shoulder as if she could feel her brother's hand there and then she would bump a fist gently on the side of her head.

The sound of a log popping under the fire again cut the thoughts in Stella's head short. After she decided that sleep would not be coming for a while, she heaved a sigh and slipped out from between Bilbo and Zo. The only person awake was Dwalin. She made her way towards him and plopped herself on the floor by his feet as she brushed her fingers through her slightly tangled hair.

"It's early, lass," he spoke without looking at her. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"Can't," she offered simply.

"Night terrors?" he guessed.

"No. Homesickness."

"Ah. Well, it happens to the best of us," he nodded. "Sleeping off heart aches usually helps though."

"No," Stella shook her head as she used her index finger to idly draw in the soft soil. "This is an ache that sleep will not fix."

"Aye? And why is that?"

Her drawing of the sun in the dirt was childish but she had been drawing it ever since she could draw. Perhaps it was time to add some clouds to the sun? Maybe some rolling hills? "Do you know loss, Dwalin?"

"Lass," he scoffed without amusement, "everyone here knows loss."

"I didn't," she said. "Until recently."

Without a moment's hesitation, Dwalin put down the hammer that was laid across his lap on the ground and turned to the young woman beside him. He did not put out a hand to comfort her but considering the fact that she learned dwarves could not concentrate on anything they did not want to, his full attention meant a lot to her. She made no move to reach out to him either. Instead, she remained on the ground, drawing tiny little flowers under her sun.

"Who did you lose?"

She thought of her mother and father, her sisters, and her brother. She thought of her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in the Philippines. She thought of Dylan, Frank, Jody, and Liz and all the faces she saw when they traveled for shows. She thought of her best friends, Nola and Sierra. She thought of Marco, who could have been her next Somebody after David. And the ache that had been plaguing her ever since she arrived returned with a fury.

"Everyone," she answered softly.

"Is there no one left?" he asked after a silent moment.

"All of them," she said, making him furrow his brows at her in confused curiosity. "Except for me. They all have each other. I'm the one who's lost."

"Is there no chance of going back?"

"No," she answered simply.

She let the sadness overtake her as she let her head fall back against the log she was leaning against. Up above them, the sun was saying its hello to a new day. Behind her, the sky was still dark with night and if she squinted a bit, Stella could still make out a few of her namesakes. Directly above her, the sky was a brilliant shade of lavender, dotted by dark blue clouds. In front of them, the sun was making its appearance from behind the mountains. The sun cast a pink glow with bright rays of light across the sky. Stella had seen many sunsets but never many sunrises. It was funny – she loved the color orange but she never realized how well it mixed with purple until she saw the sunrise that morning.

"I think I understand why the elves avoided you so much, with the exception of those two odd ones that insisted on dragging you everywhere," he mused.

"Excuse you, but I was dragged around by _you_ for far longer than Elladan and Elrohir," Stella corrected tersely. "And what do you mean, they avoided me?"

"It is said that Elves have a connection with the earth and therefore a keen sense of the souls of beings," Dwalin rolled his eyes. "You radiate pain that even _I_ can sense it."

"And you mean to tell me that you're supposed to be so coldhearted that you can't sense another's heartbreak?" Stella's lip twitched up.

"I've been told such on many occasions," he shrugged.

"Dwalin, you misleader," she bumped her head against his knee. "I bet you're a big empathetic softie underneath that brutish, callous exterior."

"Don't give me a backhanded compliment, you horrible girl," he smirked down at her. "And don't change the subject. Anybody who pays attention can see your pain. Why haven't you talked to your lad over there about it?"

Stella sighed and closed her eyes as she shifted her head around so it would be situated more comfortably on his knee. "Zo doesn't know loss. Not really."

"It's difficult to find a cure in those who fail to recognize the pain," Dwalin spoke wisely and accurately.

She made no response. She could feel herself slightly dozing and she might have actually fallen asleep if it weren't for the nudge at her shoulder. Her eyes shot open to find Thorin standing above her with an indiscernible look on his face. He turned his furrowed brow towards Dwalin.

"What are you two doing?" he questioned.

Stella rubbed the tiredness from her eyes as pulled her long hair into high ponytail. "Oh, you know, just swapping secrets at the slumber party."

Thorin's brows rose high as he gave Dwalin an inquisitive stare but Dwalin merely shrugged in response. Stella rose to her feet and brushed the dust from the bottom of her pants. "Well, you two can have your bro time or whatever. I'll just wake the Ur family and help with breakfast, shall I?"

She left the two of them staring at her back as she made her way to the three dwarves that were usually put in charge with meals. She wasn't entirely sure if they had looked away but she didn't mind them as she crawled in the space by Bofur. He was snoozing on his side when Stella lied down next to him. She giggled when his moustache made his nose twitch before she reached out.

"Bofur," she sang out softly as she ran the tip of her fingernail down the bridge of his nose. "Wakey, wakey."

His hand shot out to bat her hand away before he blearily opened his eyes. He jumped in surprise when he noticed her close proximity and fumbled to push his floppy hat on his head.

"Stella girl, you gave me a proper fright," he shook his head at her with a crooked smile on his face.

At the sight of his light grin, Stella's weariness instantly melted away. She playfully wrinkled her nose up at him as she scrambled to her feet before she tried to pull him up by his hands. "Frightened you awake though so my job is partially done. It's time for breakfast so up, up, up!"

"Five more minutes," he groaned as he unhelpfully held his dead weight away from her.

With a huff, Stella dug her heels into the ground as she kept trying to pull him up. "Now! Look at me, I'm wispy skin and bones. Feed me, I'm starving!"

Her slight whine immediately woke up Bombur, who suddenly bolted up. "Who's starving?"

In her surprise, she accidently let go of Bofur's hands and ended up falling back onto her bottom. She kicked at the snickering dwarf in front of her with a petulant glower. "Nobody is starving. I was just trying to guilt your heartless oaf of a brother into starting breakfast as the sun is now rising. Alas, he is immune to my charm."

"Immune?" Bofur repeated with a soft laugh. "Stella, my girl, I've been yours since the moment I saw you."

"Flirt," she rolled her eyes with a smile. When she tilted her head towards Bombur's way, she was surprised to see him giving Bofur a serious yet pleased searching look. Bifur had also silently risen and flicked his amused glance between his cousin and Stella. She gave him a confused look but he would only respond with a widening smile. As she begrudgingly accepted that she would definitely not be getting an answer any time soon, she casually reminded the three of them, "Breakfast?"

"Aye, breakfast," Bombur acquiesced as he stretched out all the kinks in his back. "Can't have any dwarrows going without food this morning."

"Yes, what a tragedy," Stella said lightly. "Anything I can do to help?"

"As a matter of fact…"

Bombur kept Stella easily distracted from her own thoughts as he had her assist in cooking breakfast. Stella didn't usually find much joy in cooking as she wasn't very good at it but she still somehow found herself having fun as the dwarf showed her how to make a nice meal, even out of nothing in the middle of nowhere. By the time breakfast was finally done and everyone was drowsily bumbling around the camp, most of the weight on Stella's shoulders had eased into a lighter load.

When everyone was bustling about, Zo intercepted Stella while she was making her way through the dwarves. He caught her elbow in his hands and raised his eyebrows at her. He took in a soft breath and appeared to almost say something but ultimately said nothing.

A small part of her was slightly disappointed that he didn't say anything but she didn't really expect it from him. She offered him a weak but still genuine smile before gently easing her arm out of his grasp and continuing on her way.

Whenever she wasn't walking with Zo or Bilbo, Stella found herself spending most of her time with the Ur brothers. Beyond their tiny group, everyone else was still vastly uncomfortable with how easily she flung her arms around Bofur's neck so with a huff, she untangled herself from him every time Dwalin threw her a stern glance or Dori looked away with a tsk. When she wasn't pestering Bofur with hugs or learning what could be made into a stew from Bombur, she was silently spending time with Bifur.

He threw up a pleasant fuss on the day Stella signed something back to him. She had noticed, of course, him signing roughly to various members in the Company, who would respond verbally more often than they signed back. The signs weren't anything she recognized but when she saw him absently watching the birds singing in a tree before signing something vaguely familiar, she couldn't help herself.

Stella waved a hand toward him to capture his attention. When he focused on her, she wavered for a moment before pointing up at the bird. Bifur glanced up at it with a small smile before looking back at her.

"Bird…sings…nice," she spoke along as she signed slowly.

Bifur tensed briefly as his eyes flickered between Stella's mouth, her hands, the bird, and back again. When his eyes settled on her hands, he visibly brightened before turning fully toward her. He grabbed her hands, startling her, before rambling off in Khuzdul.

"_Asti agul! Asit aktub iglishmék!"_ he exclaimed, making all the dwarves immediately spin around to see what was going on.

"Okay, I'm sensing some good vibes in front of me and bad vibes behind me," Stella said brightly, though she felt a little strained. "What's going on?"

"You know Dwarven hand signs, Miss Stella?" Balin asked.

"Ah, no," Stella shook her head, making Bifur droop a little. "I am, or was, learning American Sign Language at my school. It's the national sign language of my country for people who are Deaf or mute. I only know the basics, though. I can teach you what I know so we can talk more, yeah?"

She addressed the last question to Bifur, who immediately nodded his head and began signing at once.

"Slow down, slow down," she laughed. "Why don't we start out with the basics?"

After Bifur calmed down enough, Stella taught him under Ori's careful watch the alphabet in ASL. It was not even an hour later when Bifur carefully signed, "Hello. My name is Bifur. Nice to meet you," and she signed back, "My name is Stella. Nice to meet you, too."

Bofur would later tell Stella that he had not seen his cousin so positively emotional in many an age.

* * *

Stella would have liked to say that she was an outdoorsy sort of girl. She was a member of In Lumine Noctis, the fire dancing troupe she traveled with in southern California. Whenever she wasn't in school, the group would be traveling through cities and mountains. If they weren't performing, they spent so much time camping together. So Stella could definitely say she was used to sleeping outdoors.

What she wasn't used to was the lack of time to bathe. She could honestly say that when she camped with her friends, they would skip a day or two of washing. But it had been just over a week since everyone had left Rivendell and they still had yet to stop at a river to get clean. She wasn't about to start complaining, as she had already seen and heard the glares and scoffs sent Bilbo's way when he remarked on it, but she and Zo had shared many glances whenever they caught a whiff of somebody smelling particularly fresh.

So it was a grand day when the Company again came across the river Thorin called Bruinen. Stella vaguely remembered that Bruinen was the river that drowned the Ringwraiths after Frodo was stabbed on Weathertop and she was surprised that she remembered even that. Despite her surprise, she was grateful. Reaching the river again meant two things: they could finally bathe and they were at the base of the Misty Mountains.

Though Stella was the second most excited to get clean – after Bilbo, of course – there seemed to be a little opposition met at how exactly to continue.

"What do you mean, no?" Stella crossed her arms at Dwalin and Thorin.

"You're female – "

"Thank you for noticing," she cut off Dwalin's statement…

…and he continued like she hadn't, "so you should be washing separately. But we can't allow that because who knows what trouble might come 'round."

Stella groaned a little before offering, "Why don't you all wash a little further down, I'll wash a little further up, and if something comes along, I'll scream?"

"No," Dwalin and Thorin shot her down.

"Okay, how about yes and I'll even take Bilbo and Zo with me?"

At that statement, Stella heard the sputtering of a hobbit somewhere around her with a few mumbles of "preposterous" and "oh, the impropriety."

"Okay, then substitute out Bilbo and change him with Bifur," Stella immediately alternated as Bifur came up along her side.

"Lass," Dwalin started.

"Come on," she slightly whined. "I want to be clean and Zo and I don't like each other like that anymore and Bifur's like my brother. Please?"

Dwalin and Thorin glanced at each other before turning back to stare at Stella, who had thrown an arm around Bifur's shoulders and was pouting her bottom lip and widening her already much too large eyes at them. Again, she heard the mutterings of a hobbit saying something along the lines of "rivals a hobbit babe" but she kept her focus on the two in front of her.

"Bifur," Thorin sighed. "Will you go with them?"

"_Nisullukan_," Bifur nodded as Stella straightened up with a beaming smile.

"Not with this one," Dwalin gestured to Zo. "No offense, lad, but you I don't trust with the girl here."

With an eye roll from Zo and an offended gasp from Stella, both grabbed their packs off the ground in similar haughtiness and made their way to the water in different directions. She allowed Bifur to wash first as she sat on the large rocks on the side of the river. As she waited, she pulled out the one book in her bag she allowed herself to keep from her original backpack.

Besides her core classes, Stella wasn't exactly sure what direction to head in while at school. She took a number of art, health, and literature classes that seemed fun but didn't really give her an idea of what she wanted. It didn't seem to matter anymore…

But she was glad that she kept the one book with her. Mythology was always fun and the nights were usually boring. As she read on the boulder, she could hear the sounds of Bifur in the water and the rest of the Company further down around the bend. The setting sun cast easy warmth on her back, easing the soreness in her shoulders from carrying her bag. As she basked in the light, she felt a tap at her shoulder and opened her eyes that she hadn't even realized she closed.

"My turn?" she asked Bifur.

"Yes, you go," he signed with one hand as he twisted his dripping hair with the other, making her smile.

"Be back soon," she scrambled up as she gathered her things in her arms.

Leaving her pack behind with him, Stella left Bifur on the boulder and casually stripped down, knowing that he was kind enough to not turn around and stare. She inhaled sharply at the sudden chill of the water at her toes before plunging in as fast as she could. Once she grew used to the cold water, Stella allowed herself some time to relish in the moment.

She had been feeling so stretched thin ever since the first week in Rivendell and it was only just then that she felt something inside her begin to unwind. She cautiously glanced over her shoulder at Bifur as she absently scrubbed at her arms with the tough bar of soap Elrohir had given her. Satisfied that he was not paying too much attention to her, she slowly turned back and let the smile drop off her face.

Her chest felt heavy. Her head felt heavy. Even her arms felt heavy. It seemed like every step she was taking towards Erebor was weighing her down. She wanted to go home. She wanted her parents and Telma and Nola and Sierra and she wanted Marco. Galadriel be damned, Stella wanted to leave Middle Earth with Lorenzo.

Before she could hold it back, a soft sob escaped her mouth. Desperate to cover it up, Stella swung her arms around to catch some water in her hands with a large splash. She didn't dare turn around to see if Bifur heard her.

Stella was so tired of feeling sad. So once she was satisfied with her cleanliness, she tried to leave her sadness in the river. She knew better but…

"Fake it 'til you make it," she whispered to herself as she trudged out of the water.

Once she was dried and dressed, Stella and Bifur made their way to the area that was agreed to be that night's campsite. Upon arrival, they found that the rest of the Company had already made their way back from their own washing. Stella could have pursed her lips at how quickly they bathed and that it could hardly be called a bath at all but she kept any comments to herself.

Instead, Stella settled down at one end of the camp and reached into her bag to pull out another item she brought along from her original backpack. Her cracked skin had been bothering her for days and she wasn't going to put up with if she couldn't help it.

There was a tension in the camp that Stella didn't notice as she rolled up her sleeves and pant legs. Most of the dwarves had pointedly looked away from her bare skin as she began lathering her hands with lotion and a few had even stiffened their spines once the sweet fragrance reached their large noses. Stella, of course, paid them no mind.

"You still have some of this shit left?" Zo asked as he plopped down on the floor next to her and tossed the tube in the air a few times. "I would have thought you used it all in Rivendell."

"I used what they had there," she explained as she coated her dry legs.

"I assumed you'd leave such little things behind," Zo remarked.

"Dry skin is a battle every person faces," Stella lifted her nose up at him. "We have enough shit coming our way so forgive me for not wanting to think about that."

After lifting a slightly imperious brow at her, Zo flipped the tube over to look at its cover. After giving it a moment's contemplation, he cracked open the top and squeezed a small amount into his palm.

Stella's lips twisted in amusement. "I didn't think you'd like this scent. It's not masculine enough for you."

"I think I'm masculine enough to not be threatened by lotion marketed towards femininity," he shrugged. "Besides, I like sweet pea."

"Well, you have fantastic taste, sir," Stella smiled sweetly at him, making Zo's lips twitch up.

"What is that?" Bilbo popped over Stella's shoulder.

"It's sweet pea. Smell!" Stella demanded as she shoved the lotion tube into Bilbo's face.

His nose twitched before he took an audible inhale. A slow smile overtook his face. "Oh, that is lovely. What's in it?"

"Um," Stella turned the tube over and read off the back, "Sweet pea, pears, freesia, and raspberry."

"You shouldn't be spending your time thinking over your sweet flowers and fruits," Dwalin spoke up.

"Don't fret, dearest Dwalin," Stella said innocently. "When the time arises, I fully plan to soak myself in the scent of the blood of my enemies."

The statement was absurd enough as it was but considering it was coming from a wispy, thin woman who could barely pick up a hammer and was barely passable with a blade, even Dwalin had to snort in amusement.

When dinner was over and conversations were dying down, Stella retreated to her edge of the camp with Bilbo and Zo. Zo was sitting up against a tree and idly opening and closing his lighter while Bilbo dozed lightly on top of his blanket. Stella was curled up with her head stiffly perched on Zo's side as she read from her mythology book. The clink of the lighter slowly came to a pause before Zo's hand rested on top of Stella's head.

"Read to me," he said as he ran his fingers through her hair.

Without missing a beat, Stella began reading out loud from the middle of the sentence she was in. "_'…and Lebynthos on the right, when the boy, exulting in his career, began to leave the guidance of his companion and soar upward as if to reach heaven.'_"

At the sound of her voice, Bilbo's drowsy eyes opened and he turned on her side to watch her as she read.

"'_The nearness of the blazing sun softened the wax which held the feathers together, and they came off. He fluttered with his arms but no feathers remained to hold the air. While his mouth uttered cries to his father it was submerged in the blue waters of the sea, which thenceforth was called by his name.'_"

One by one, the dwarves in the Company halted their conversations and listened to the story, even if they did not give Stella their strict attention as Bilbo did.

"'_His father cried, 'Icarus, Icarus, where are you?' At last he saw the feathers floating in the water, and bitterly lamenting his own arts, he buried the body and called the land Icaria in memory of his child.'_"

Zo's long fingers ran through Stella's waves of hair as she continued to read through Dædalus's pain and his new struggles. It was only when she read of the jealousy Dædalus had for his nephew, Perdix, that she was interrupted.

"'…_so envious of his nephew's performances that he took an opportunity, when they were together one day on the top of a high tower, to push him off. But Minerva – '_"

"The man lost his child from a fall of a great height and then he dares to kill another's in the same manner?" Nori exclaimed indignantly before letting out a string of curses that made Dori cover up Ori's ears as he glared at his other younger brother.

"Yeah, people are funny that way," Stella shrugged before turning back to her book. "_'But Minerva – _"

"What would make a man wish to kill his own nephew?" Fili asked.

"Jealousy. Hatred. Madness. The list goes on," Zo answered. "Men often do so much for so little."

When Stella tried again to continue, she was interrupted a third time by Kili before Bilbo shushed at him violently. "Let her finish!"

After giving Bilbo a fond smile, Stella finished the story with, "_'But Minerva, who favors ingenuity, saw him falling, and arrested his fate by changing him into a bird called after his name, the Partridge. This bird down not build his nest in the trees, nor take lofty flights, but nestles in the hedges, and mindful of his fall, avoids high places.'_ Thus concludes the story of Dædalus, Icarus, and Perdix."

As Stella shut her book, Kili sputtered from the other side of the fire. "But what happened to Dædalus? Was he punished? Did this Minerva spurn him? Who is she anyway?"

"Hmm, I don't know. That's where his story ends," Stella said. "People tend to focus more on Icarus than Dædalus, to be honest. And Minerva is the goddess of intelligence."

"Is that how the partridge really came to be?" Ori asked. "They were born from Man?"

"It's mythology. During Greco-Roman times, the people would come up with stories that explained the events of the world and they often involved the gods. Of course, as science evolved, we have better explanations that are more accurate. But the stories are always fun."

"Will you read another one, Stella, my girl?" Bofur asked.

Stella peered over at him but he did not look up from the piece of wood he was casually whittling away at. Before she could even think about whether or not she wanted to say yes or no, Bilbo and Ori perked up and looked at her expectantly. She blinked once and focused on the others, who did not turn away either.

"Oh. Um, sure," she nodded as she opened her book again. She flipped through the pages before beginning with, "_'Orpheus was the son of Apollo and the Muse Calliope. He was presented by his father with a lyre and taught to play…_'"

Ever so slowly, each dwarf fell asleep along with Zo and Bilbo until only Gloin remained awake to hear the end. He was staring out into the trees with only a vague expression of wonder upon his face.

"'_They roam the happy fields together now, sometimes he leading, sometimes she, and Orpheus gazes as much as he will upon her, no longer incurring a penalty for a thoughtless gaze,'_" she finished before closing her book shut for the second time.

"That was a nice one," Gloin spoke quietly, which surprised Stella, for he was often one of the most boisterous of the lot. "Though I pity the lass. What was her name?"

"Eurydice. Why pity though?" Stella curled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them as she stared over at him.

"They had the chance to live. And he didn't trust her enough to keep his gaze forward. If he just trusted her to keep following, they would have lived."

Stella took a moment to think it over before she haltingly replied, "I think it was more that he didn't trust himself. He probably couldn't believe he was granted such a divine opportunity. I imagine it wouldn't be an easy task to lead something away from death."

"No," he grimly smiled. "I suppose not. But if a husband loves his wife enough, he'd do anything for her. No matter how difficult."

"You have a wife?" Stella asked.

"Aye," he visibly brightened. He pulled out a locket from inside his coat and smiled down at what was inside before making his way over to share it with her. "That's my wife, Surnél, and our son, Gimli."

Stella could only hope that her excitement wasn't too obviously seen. In her hands were portraits of not only the first female Dwarf she had ever seen, but the younger version of Gimli. The _real_ Gimli! Stella pinched her lips together into a small smile before handing the locket back.

"They're lovely."

"My entire world," he said softly as he continued to stare fondly down at the pictures. "I suppose that's why I understand that Orpheus fellow. Even if he messed up and they both died anyway. But death is the end of us all, I guess."

"Is not," Stella shot back.

"Oh, it's not, then?" he repeated incredulously and only with the slightest bit of amusement.

"Did you not hear what became of them? Together, they roam the fields of the afterlife and he can look at her as much as he wants to now," Stella reiterated. "Dying was not their end. They keep living through every person who knows their story. Death is only the end if you assume the story is solely about you."

"Yes," Gloin laughed under his breath. "I suppose it is. That was a nice line, lass."

"Eh, I can't take credit for it," she waved a dismissive hand.

"It was appreciated nonetheless. Go to sleep, lass. It's my watch tonight."

"Good night, Gloin."

Stella had just pulled the blanket up and was about to sink back into Zo's curled form when Gloin's voice called out to her one last time for the night.

"Would you," he started hesitantly. "Would you read another one of those stories tomorrow evening?"

Stella only smiled at him before she settled back down. That night became the start of a tradition in which she would read to the Company after dinner until everyone fell asleep. It would be only a few days later that the new tradition would be temporarily interrupted by rocks made into legend, but Stella kept up the hope that such events would not occur.

* * *

**Khuzdul translations:**  
Asti agul! Asti aktub iglishmék! – You sign! You know sign language!

Nisullukan – Of course

Now that it's obvious I totally butchered Khuzdul, we can move on…

The book Stella is reading out of is _Bulfinch's Mythology_. I like to think Stella has the pretty version that I have, which is sold at Barnes and Noble. She is, of course, reading the tales of Icarus and Orpheus.

Also, neither Stella nor I can take credit for the line, "Death is only the end if you assume the story is solely about you." This is from _Welcome to Night Vale_.


	9. Chapter 9

It wasn't that Dori disliked the pair. He found more things he disagreed with them than he agreed upon but that didn't mean he disliked them. The boy had issues just associating with anybody beyond the girl but that could be tolerated. It was just that…

Miss Villanueva _really_ had a problem with being just a bit too close to dwarrows she was comfortable with. It wasn't her fault, he supposed. There were whispers amongst the Company that the lass had some divine ability to See the end of their quest. Such knowledge made her entirely valuable and, put into the wrong hands, entirely vulnerable. So the lad followed her everywhere to keep her safe.

Dori wasn't sure how true any of that was, as neither of them had yet to prove it, but that didn't keep the princes from trying to bring it up. Though he had to admit, it was a bit suspicious how others would abruptly (Bilbo) or subtly (Bofur) change the subject, as if they knew more about it than others. But just because Miss Villanueva could supposedly See their future didn't mean that she knew better.

After all, none of the dwarrows on the quest were female so nobody could tell her what she was doing.

After all, dwarrows by no means were as free with their love as Elves were rumored to be (and don't think Dori didn't notice how easily the girl and the lad became friends with that lot).

And after all, he doubted anybody actually told her that what she was doing was a bit less than appropriate.

It was only the fact that he was very much assured that she was ignorant to their ways that kept Dori from being outright scandalized. Miss Villanueva patted a gentle hand on the princes' cheeks, rubbed her nose in the hobbit's hair, leaned an elbow on Dwalin's shoulders, and snuck in hugs with Bofur when they both thought nobody was looking. But Dori was.

He knew that Miss Villanueva didn't know. Dwarrows were a tactile bunch and that was obvious. He could not fault the girl for not knowing that her touches just so happened to be in the wrong places and for just a touch too long.

But he knew that Bofur knew. Dori knew that and it appeared that Dwalin was more aware of what was going on between those two as well. He could see it every time he turned to give a disapproving sniff their way and saw the warrior glaring not at the girl, but at Bofur. It was bad enough that a lass with no clear ties to a family or a craft was initiating physical contact but for Bofur to allow it was just outrageous!

That was until Dwalin made Dori really look. Bofur made it clear very early on that he was a comedian and always knew how to make a person smile. It wasn't until Dori noticed how easily Bofur made Nori relax and Ori come out of his shell that he realized how subtle Bofur could be. And he really was, especially about the girl.

On a day that Dori just about had enough and was going to confront one of the two, he was stopped in mid-step by a rough hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Dwalin glancing down at him.

"So you see it, too?" he stated more than asked as he pulled Dori back by his shoulder so they both could lean against a tree as everyone bustled around camp.

Dori huffed. "How could I not? Will you not say something if you won't allow me to?"

"You're putting Dwarven standards on a human," Dwalin rolled his eyes. "There's no need to tell Stella anything. You'll just make her uncomfortable."

"And Bofur?"

Dwalin sighed as he rubbed a hand over his head. "That's a bit more than I bargained for but I'm not surprised."

"What?" Dori narrowed his eyes up at the warrior.

"Will you just look?" Dwalin gestured towards the other side of the camp. "Honestly. What with your brothers, I thought you were one of the smart ones here."

After he ignored Dwalin's last bit of muttering, Dori heaved a sigh before he gave his full attention to the two sources of his frustration. At first, he saw nothing more than the usual: Miss Villanueva in-between Bombur and Bofur as they all surrounded the pot that contained that night's dinner and Bifur stood across from them. Miss Villanueva rested a forearm on Bofur's shoulder as she listened to Bombur speak but every now and then, her eyes would stray to Bifur and they would exchange small smiles and secret signs that only they knew now. It was the usual nightly occurrence but then Dori saw.

He saw how every time Miss Villanueva looked over her shoulder to glance at Bofur, Bombur and Bifur would steal a glance and smile. He saw how she would turn fully around to rest her forehead on Bofur's shoulder for the brief moment. And briefer still, he saw how Bofur's hand would come up and (goodness gracious!) he would pinch the very tips of her hair between his fingertips before quickly pulling away. He saw how Bofur would turn away just as she did but he also saw how he would glance back at her every now and then. He saw how Bofur would catch the girl wrapping herself around that friend of hers and something would flicker in his eyes but he would just smile and look away.

Dori saw and he knew.

He immediately stiffened and whirled around to turn back to Dwalin, who merely looked back at him. "It's not possible."

"Clearly, it is," Dwalin said simply, as if Dori were stupid.

"There's never been a documented cross-cultural case before," Dori crossed his arms.

Dwalin rolled his eyes again. "And you've read all the documents in the world then? For all we know, there could have been."

Dori floundered for a moment. "But for a dwarf to find his One in a human... He'll outlive her."

All at once, every inch of Dwalin seemed to stiffen. "That's their business."

"But shouldn't his family know?"

"Look at them. They probably knew when he did. They like her."

"But does she like him?" Dori pointed out. "Men love far more freely than Dwarrows do. Somebody should tell her."

"That's something only he should be telling her."

"Except he won't."

"Probably not," Dwalin conceded.

"It'll be painful for him."

"He wouldn't be the first dwarf to love and lose. He'll long for the rest of his days but he will accept it and move on. Or he could get off his ass and do something about it. Mark my words, she isn't the one who needs a talking to – he is."

On that note, Dwalin turned on his heel and made his way towards his brother and their king, leaving Dori to his thoughts. On the one hand, Bofur needed a stern talking to. But on the other hand, maybe they were content that way.

Dori knew the pain that came with having a One that didn't want him back. He found her long after Nori left again and when Ori was still so very young. She wasn't the most beautiful or the kindest dwarrow-dam he had ever met but he took one look at her and he knew. He knew in the way all dwarrows just know.

He also knew that it just was not going to happen. There was a time where they both thought that maybe it could. But then she wanted to travel to apprentice under a Master to strengthen her craft and they both knew in the moment she decided to leave that she loved her craft far more than she did Dori. Even if it did work out, he could never force Ori to wander around the way she wanted to.

Sometimes Dori wondered what could have been. Sometimes he wondered what she was up to. Sometimes he wondered if she was safe, if she was happy, if she was even still alive. That was only sometimes. But she would always be his One just as he would always be hers.

Maybe it was better that Bofur didn't say anything about it to Miss Villanueva. There was so much that they could be but there was always the risk of something they could never have. If she accepted him, they would only have a few years together before he would be left so terribly alone. But if she rejected him, he would not have any memories of her to soften the blow after she was gone.

Things were just so complicated. It wasn't that Dori disliked Miss Villanueva but she was still so unwillingly ignorant. And there was still that boy…

* * *

Stella had been making it a habit to be one of the few people in the Company to wake up first. Ever since she asked to help out around camp, she designated herself as the Bombur's assistant in making breakfast and dinner. So it was a bit of a surprise not only to herself but a few of the dwarves when she woke up late one day.

There really was no explanation for sleeping in except that she was very comfortable and comfort means more sleeping. Although she and Zo were still sleeping separate from everyone else in the camp, they were also sleeping separate from each other. He would turn his head away from her and she would turn her entire body away from him to curl around Bilbo.

But on that morning, they were found with Stella flat on her back and Lorenzo lying down on top of her. She had one arm hooked around his neck and both her legs tangled with his while he had one arm curled up to grip her other arm and his other arm wrapped around her waist. She woke up to a nudge at her foot. She took in figure of Bombur, who stood above her with an indiscernible look upon his face. She furrowed her brows up at him before she jolted.

"Oh, shit," she groaned as she maneuvered herself out of Zo's grip. "I didn't wake up to help with breakfast. I'm so sorry, Bom,"

"It's fine, Stella; no need to rush about," Bombur reassured her as she slowed down her attempts to wake herself up faster.

"I don't think I've slept like that since Rivendell," she sighed again. She tilted her head at Bombur as she rubbed at one of her eyes with a fist. He was still staring at her strangely. "What's wrong?"

"Have you…always been close with Master Marchesi?"

Stella snorted as she rolled up her sleeping roll. "He's no Master of anything. And we've been friends since I was about thirteen so I'd say we are kind of close."

"And you're not…" he trailed off before shaking his head and turning to walk away. "It's none of my business. I apologize."

"Hey," Stella stood up on her knees to gently pull him back by the hand. "You can ask. I know everyone here is wondering."

Bombur gave her an awkward smile as they both pointedly ignored various members of the Company behind them who were quite clearly listening in. Stella in particular ignored the amused glances from Fili and Kili while Bombur stubbornly ignored the piercing stare from his brother. He shuffled his feet before sighing.

"Are you and Master Marchesi promised to each other?" he finally asked.

"No," Stella answered promptly. It was quick enough to be a firm and honest answer that left no room for questioning. "He promised to stay with me until I find a new home but then he'll be gone. Just like that."

Bombur closed his eyes in response to the slightly frightened look in Stella's. He really liked the girl but there was a time for comforting and there was a time for questions. And he had one more for her.

"Have you ever been promised to each other?" he asked further.

"Well, no," she answered slowly and unsurely this time. "We did date - well, I guess you'd call it court - when we were younger. But it only lasted, like, a month so it barely even counted."

"Did too," came the sleepy mumble from the man in question.

"Did not," she retorted with an eye roll.

Lorenzo grimaced as he rolled his shoulders after he pushed himself up. "If it didn't count, why do you always introduce yourself to whoever I'm 'courting' as my ex-girlfriend?"

"Because I like seeing their uncomfortable faces," Stella answered honestly.

One of his tanned arms shot out to pull Stella down by her neck, causing her to cough in surprise before laughing. Zo sleepily rubbed his cheek into her messy hair. "You're an asshole."

"Stop flirting with me." She slapped his hands off her before she stood up. Without turning around, she nudged him on his side with one of her dainty feet. "And get up already."

The only reply she received with a groan and the inevitable thump of Zo lying back down. Not even sparing the time to roll her eyes again, Stella walked away to continue her morning routine, leaving everyone just as confused as they were before she answered the questions that were bothering them before. If they weren't courting, what were they?

* * *

Ori liked Miss Stella and Mister Lorenzo. The former was completely sweet to him and the latter was always polite. He knew everyone else in the Company had their reservations about the two of them, especially Mister Lorenzo, but he thought there was no need to be wary. One only had to keep up a single decent conversation with either of them and it would be easy to see that they had no malevolent intentions.

Of course, he was biased. He grew up in Dori's and Nori's shadows. Dori was obvious in his protection over Ori, Nori less so but just as dangerous, so others usually avoided him like the plague. Not that Ori resented it! Dori could be a little exasperating at times but Ori knew that's what having a parent means sometimes. Dori was the best _amad_ and _adad_ Ori could ever dream of. It was just…it could be a little sigh-inducing when Ori thought about how he was years older than the princes but treated like he was decades younger than them.

It didn't help that he still had not shed some of his dwarfling features yet either. His eyes were a bit too wide and there were still a few bare patches on his chin in which his beard could not hide the soft roundness of his cheeks. He knew he was still growing into his looks. Dori would remind him that he and Nori were the same way when they were Ori's age. It did help knowing that one day he would be as attractive as them one day (Dori might be able to prevent others from leering Ori's way but he could not stop Ori from seeing how others looked at his brothers, thank you very much) but goodness, he was tired of being treated like a child.

A few days into Rivendell, Ori had caught Miss Stella and Mister Lorenzo walking around together. He was hovering around, as he usually did, and was straightening out her dress and picking a leaf or two out of her hair. She abided by his nitpicking with outstandingly familiar patience until he made some teasing comment and she slapped his poking hand away with sudden ferocity.

"I'm not a child. That's enough, thank you," she said as she turned her nose up away from her friend. When she looked the other way, she caught sight of him standing in a doorway. "Oh, hello! You're Ori."

He noticed that she stated it instead of asked but he nodded and bowed. "At your service."

"That's kind of you. I'm Stella and this is Lorenzo."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Stella and Mister Lorenzo."

"Oh, Zo, we're a Miss and Mister! Aren't we fancy?" she nudged her friend happily. "It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Mister Ori."

"I'm no Mister," he held up his gloved hands and shook his head. "I'm just Ori."

"If I'm a Mister, so are you," Mister Lorenzo joined Miss Stella and guided Ori the opposite direction with a hand on his shoulder. "After all, we are rather dapper fellows."

Ori was well-accustomed into being pestered into joining a group of people he had no intentions of following. The Company of Thorin Oakenshield was probably the very first he joined of his own accord and he knew it was the first time he pestered Dori into doing something he wanted instead of the other way around. And yet joining Miss Stella and Mister Lorenzo in their walk was no burden at all. It was pleasant and had Dori wondering why Ori wandered into dinner with a smile on his face.

Perhaps it was because Ori had never had somebody ask him such open-ended questions like Miss Stella did. Perhaps it was because he never had somebody listen so intently to what he had to say like Mister Lorenzo did. Perhaps it was because he felt some strange connection with Miss Stella because of their large eyes and round cheeks. Perhaps it was because it was so easy to laugh with both of them.

Perhaps it was all of those reasons but Ori knew that a large part of it was because he had never felt so mature before. He did tense briefly when Miss Stella cooed over him. But as they continued walking, he noticed that she had a tendency to do that to almost everybody. She complimented almost everyone she saw and she did so in the most backward manner Ori had ever seen. She referred to the servants in the halls as stupendous and when they accidentally bumped into an elf who introduced himself as Glorfindel – how Ori's jaw dropped! – she boldly called the Balrog-Slayer lovely.

It was in the moment when Ori regained his capability of speech that he realized Miss Stella saw the world differently than everybody else. For one moment, he believed she saw him as a dwarfling. But she simply saw him as somebody worth complimenting. Just like everyone else. Miss Stella and Mister Lorenzo never insulted him and they never spoke down to him. They treated him with respect.

When he asked why, Mister Lorenzo looked up at him from his bowed head as Miss Stella tied a flower crown into his curls. "Dude, you're a living being and you're totally cool. You deserve respect."

His tilted head and bewildered expression caught Miss Stella's attention but she never looked up from her project as she said, "And if people don't give it to you, demand it. You're worth it."

That was when he decided he liked Miss Stella and Mister Lorenzo. Dori and Nori could go pout in corner because he was not going to change his mind about them.

(It was in the days after they left Rivendell that Ori also found himself a member of the Why Isn't It Obvious To Everyone Else That Stella and Lorenzo Are NOT Courting Club. Fili and Kili were co-presidents. Bifur was vice-president. Ori was the secretary. Bilbo just kept complaining about the ridiculously long name.)

* * *

The days continued uneventfully as the Company made their way up the mountain path. Once again, Zo made his way to Fili's side in front of Bilbo, Stella, and Bofur. Conversation was quiet but all words carried and bounced off the mountain walls. At night, Stella continued reading myths from her book to everyone until she and whoever was keeping watch that night were the last ones awake. It was an unhappy circumstance that on such a night, Thorin was the last one awake with her.

The only sounds heard after Stella closed her book was the snoring of the dwarves and crackling of the fire. Bifur, Bofur, and Bilbo were making good on their promise to never allow Stella and Thorin alone together. Since the unfortunate incident in Rivendell, Stella ceased feeling uncomfortable by Thorin's presence but there had yet to be any notion that she should feel content around him.

The silence was not entirely awkward as Thorin stared out across the chasm. Zo had his head on Stella's lap and she ran her fingers through his curls as she slept.

"You should not be here."

Stella was not surprised that he would be the first to speak. She didn't look up from Zo's tranquil face when she replied with, "Some would argue that neither should you."

"I assume you would be part of that 'some.'"

"No," she shook her head. "You should be."

She didn't have to look at him to know that he was throwing a look that urged her to continue. "I think you, out of everyone in Middle Earth, have more right to be on this quest than anybody else."

"That does not change the fact that you should not be here," he persisted.

"I also think," she said patiently, "that out of everyone in Middle Earth, I am the one who understands the most your need to go back home."

"Oh? And what would you know about home and the loss of it?."

Stella's brows furrowed before she finally looked up at him. His voice never rose and he never snarled and he never sneered. He remained stoic and calm, and that made his words all the more hurtful.

"I think I know a great deal," she said softly. "Enough to at least understand what you feel a little bit."

With a curled lip, he pushed himself off the boulder he sat upon to stand at the ledge. "I do not need your pity."

"Who said this was pity?"

"Do not look down on me. On us."

"I would never," Stella said softly. "I am sad for you. Not out of nicety but necessity. Your pain deserves to be acknowledged. I am sad for the Dwarves. I am sad that the only thing I can possibly do to help is follow you into whatever battles you face even if you do not want me to."

Thorin audibly sighed as he kept his back to her. "Why does our quest matter so much to you?"

Stella gave him a small smile. "Everyone deserves a home."

"Yes." His answer was soft and almost faded into the echo of the mountains. "Which is why the both of you should leave. Go back home, Mistress Seer. Go be with your family and your gems."

She peered curiously at him as she folded one ankle over the other. "You keep demanding us to go but you haven't asked why we haven't."

Thorin peered over his shoulder towards her.

"Go on," she motioned with her hand. "Ask me."

He visibly sighed. "Why have you not gone back home?"

"We can't."

His brows furrowed together and he tilted his head to the side. "Cannot?"

"Zo is stuck here until Lady Galadriel bids him to Lothlorien," she explained as she looked down. Her expression softened as she watched Zo twitch his nose in his sleep before he buried his face closer to her stomach. "And I'm stuck here. Period."

"Stuck?"

"Stuck. Imprisoned. Lost. Whichever you prefer. Either way, there is no going back." As she spoke, Stella closed her eyes and tilted her head back to lean against the mountain wall. "Do you understand now? Why I'm the one who understands your need to go back?"

"I understand why you sympathize. But I do not understand why you follow with us," he answered honestly.

She opened her eyes to peek over at him. He had returned to his seat at the boulder and was watching her closely. "I follow because if I had the opportunity to go back home, I would hope that somebody would be there at my side to help me every step of the way."

Thorin kept an eye on her until he slowly looked down and away. It was some time before he finally nodded. As he turned back to gaze up and down the path, Stella resigned herself to sleeping sitting up. Zo just looked to comfortable in her lap and Bilbo was already nuzzling his way into her side. She had a weakness for curly haired boys and she just didn't have the heart to move them. Besides, the clouds were rolling in and Stella could almost feel the cold moisture in the air. So she stretched out the final kink in her back and settled herself back into the mountainside.

"Girl," Thorin's voice caught her attention again. Once he was assured she was watching him, he continued. "I apologize for my actions in Rivendell. I should have prevented Dwalin from scaring you so. You deserved none of that and I ask for your forgiveness, Miss Villanueva."

She blinked once before her lips melted into a smile. "Forgiven. Thank you for apologizing."

As he nodded, she spoke again. "And it's Stella."

He raised his brows at her.

"Call me Stella," she grinned.

Neither of them said anything more that night and neither of them were tense in each other's presence ever again.

* * *

The next morning brought rain. Stella knew what that meant. Zo knew her well enough to know that she knew something was about to happen. So they spent the entire day wet and miserable and high-strung. To avoid spreading the knowledge that something was going to happen, Stella relied on Bilbo to keep her distracted. But even as she spoke to him, she felt the need to keep him ready.

"Hey, Bilbo," she changed the subject in the middle of conversation. "How are you at riddles?"

"Riddles?" he wrinkled his nose. "Fairly well, I should think."

"There is a green house. Inside the green house is a white house. Inside the white house is a red house. Inside the red house are lots of babies. What is it?"

Bilbo stopped walking for a moment but quickly continued at the push of a dwarf behind him. "A watermelon."

Stella nodded before asking again, "If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?"

He muttered under his breath for a moment and she remained patient. "A…a secret?"

"Good," she nodded again. "Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless mutters."

"I…give me a moment," Bilbo faltered. The longer he took, the more Stella tapped a finger on her thigh.

"The wind," Nori answered.

"Ooh, smarty pants," Stella cooed, hoping that Bilbo remembered that one.

"A box without hinges, key, or lid; yet golden treasure inside is hid," Fili spoke up.

"Eggs," Kili immediately answered.

"You only know the answer because _amad_ told you so," Fili snapped.

"And you only know that riddle because she's the one who told you it in the first place," Kili replied cheerfully.

"What is always coming but never arrives?" Ori's sweet voice spoke up from further behind them.

There was only silence as everyone continued walking up the mountain. Stella racked her mind but nothing was coming up. She could hear Bilbo repeating the riddle under his breath but even he had nothing else to say.

"Tomorrow," Zo answered at last.

Stella tilted her head back at the obvious answer. More than a few dwarves jumped and turned around to see who was speaking. It never occurred to Stella that in the entire time since she stumbled across the Company, only a handful of them had heard Zo speak.

"All things it devours: birds, beasts, trees, and flowers. Gnaws iron, bites steel, and grinds hard stones to meal. Slays kings, ruins towns, and beats high mountains down. What is it?" Stella continued Bilbo's slight training.

She glanced over her shoulder to peer down at Bilbo. He had his head down and his brows were curled close together as he thought it over. She bit her lip as she worried at how long it was taking him. As she glanced up, she caught the curious stare of Nori. Immediately, she jumped and turned away.

"Time," Dwalin called from up ahead.

Stella released a shaky breath. She really hoped Bilbo would get it. "Right-o, my dearest Dwalin! When did you get so smart?"

"You try having this trickster for a brother and not pick up a few things," he merely gestured to Balin with a pointed thumb.

"Trickster! Honestly," Balin chuckled. "Kept you on your toes though, didn't I, brother?"

"Enough," Thorin spoke up.

The momentary break for riddles was nice but Stella's and Zo's anxiety was quick to return. The stress proved to be detrimental as nothing happened all day and both had a hard time going to sleep. It was only the day after the riddles that the path grew narrower and the winds kicked up.

Everyone walked in single file following after Thorin. Stella was squished in-between Bofur and Bilbo as everyone pressed themselves along the mountain. There was a sudden crack behind her and on reflex, Stella immediately spun around and grabbed Bilbo by his shoulder. As she and Dwalin pulled him back up, Stella froze. She knew this part.

She could vaguely hear Thorin yelling something up ahead. In front of her, Bofur was yelling over the wind and rain, "Stella, my girl, what is it?"

"Watch out!" Dwalin shouted.

Stella pressed herself as close to the mountain wall as she could with one arm stretched out in front of Bilbo. Before anybody could comprehend what Balin was saying, Stella was already peering out into the darkness across the mountains. There, shadowed by the lightning, she could see the rising form of a stone giant. It was one thing to see it in the movies but it was an entirely different thing to see stone coming to life right in front of her eyes.

As Bofur took a few tentative steps forward, Stella reached out and pulled him back by the hand. He paused in mid-awe to glance down at the tight grip she had on his hand before he looked up at her.

"Come now, Stella, my girl, don't be scared."

"Scared?" she repeated. "Of stone giants? Nah. That's silly. But I'm terrified of falling. Now that is completely rational."

"Aye, that it is."

"Yes, it is. So keep close to this wall, thank you very much," she concluded as she nudged him closer to the wall, just as she did Bilbo.

She closed her eyes once she felt the rumbling under her feet and on her back. Ahead of her, she could hear Kili asking what was going on before there was a sudden jolt and a crack. She tightened her grip on Bofur's hand as Fili yelled for Kili to take his but Stella knew it was too late.

The wind shifted and then the group that was in front of them was out of sight. Stella whimpered as the stone giant they were perched on began to fight back. She could feel the beginning of a cramp in her bicep the longer she held Bofur's hand tightly in hers. There was an ache in her mouth as she bit her tongue when the giant spun around and began to fall forward. Her scream followed the others as the mountainside loomed closer.

"Jump, quick!" Fili yelled after they made contact.

Stella barely had any choice in the matter as she automatically fell forward from the sudden impact. She wiped her dripped hair out of her eyes as she watched the giant lean back and fall to its destruction. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she could barely hear the rain over the sound of her panting breaths. She knew at some point that Thorin came from around the corner and Balin was extending the news of their safety but she wasn't really paying attention until she heard Bofur's voice again.

"Where's Bilbo?" Bofur asked. "Where's the hobbit?"

"There!" Stella exclaimed before she dove to grab onto Bilbo's hands, which were barely hanging on the edge of the cliff.

"Stella!" Lorenzo called after her before pushing himself off a wall to grab her by her waist.

She winced as the rocks dug into her stomach but kept she grip tight on Bilbo's wrists. "I've got you, Bilbo, don't fret."

As Zo began to pull Stella back so she could coax Bilbo back to safety, Thorin jumped onto a barely there ledge to hoist Bilbo up. But after pulling him back up, Thorin lost his grip. As Bilbo crawled over her shoulders, Stella jumped over to grab one of Thorin's arms as Dwalin grabbed his other. Through their combined effort, they were able to pull Thorin back to his feet on the cliff. After patting his shoulders to ensure he was okay, Stella quickly turned around to make her way to Bilbo. Before she could do so herself, he held out his arms so she could hug him tightly. After she pulled away, she pushed his hair back and pressed a hard kiss to his forehead.

Dwalin spoke out, "I thought we lost our burglar."

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us," Thorin spat.

"Oh, shut up, Thorin," Stella snapped. "Go be useful and find somewhere dry."

He slowly turned his head to offer her a bitter glare before calling out to Dwalin. Stella rolled her eyes in his direction and turned back to her friend. "Ignore Thorin."

"No, he's right," Bilbo said weakly. "I never should have come."

"Neither should we," Zo shrugged as he kneeled next to Bilbo. "But here we are. And we're going to keep helping."

"What Thorin thinks doesn't matter right now," Stella told Bilbo firmly. "He was just speaking in the moment. We're all a bit tense right now. So instead of listening to the king of angst over there, listen to me when I say he's being an idiot and you are important."

Bilbo gave her a dry look before repeating, "King of angst?"

"He is," Stella and Zo replied in unison with a shrug.

His expression never changed as he shook his head. As she pulled Bilbo to his feet and helped him follow everyone into the cave Thorin was leading them into, she beamed, "Besides, I'm prettier than he is. That warrants even the slightest bit more attention, don't you think?"

"You're such a…" Zo trailed off without saying what she was with an exasperated sigh.

Stella could only laugh.

* * *

There were no stories that night. Everyone was on edge and silent as they made their way into the cave. Stella was going to speak to Thorin about what was going to occur that night but any move she made to speak to him was shot down. Thorin also made it clear that there would be no fires or talking to calm everyone down from what occurred outside. Everyone had to settle for sleeping in soaking wet clothes and huddling together for warmth.

She meant to stay awake. She hoped that if she did, she could be there for Bilbo to talk to. But instead, she found herself waking up to the middle of a conversation. With a pang in her heart, Stella knew exactly what was going on when she heard Bofur desperately finishing with, "...part of the Company. You're one of us."

Bilbo's voice was soft, yet determined. "I'm not though, am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins. I don't know what I was thinking. I should never run out my door."

"You're homesick. I understand."

"No, you don't, you don't understand!" Bilbo quietly snapped. "None of you do – you're dwarves. You're used to – to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere!"

Stella didn't have to open her eyes to feel the hurt underneath Bofur's taken back expression. And it hurt. For a moment, Stella swore she could feel Bofur's pain like it was hers.

Bilbo was soft and Bilbo was kind but he had yet to learn how to completely think before he spoke. His blabbering would be of use later that night with Gollum but his insensitivity was not making him too many friends among the Company. Stella and Zo could understand Bilbo in a way the dwarves couldn't. One would think that dwarves, of all people, would understand him, as they weren't the most sensitive race either.

But, of course, Bilbo was different from them. It was especially noted when he apologized. Dwarves could apologize but they were always gruff and to the point. That didn't make them any less genuine but it didn't make them any more appreciated if one was in the heat of the moment.

But Stella could hear without seeing him how Bilbo was truly repentant as he stammered, "I am sorry, I didn't..."

"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere," Bofur interrupted. "I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do."

It was silent for a moment before Bilbo said, "Take care of Stella, will you? She's so strong but she worries me how she impulsively is."

"Don't you fret, Bilbo. Stella will always be safe with me."

Stella smiled to herself. She was honestly touched to hear Bilbo's concern for her well-being. Not to mention, Bofur's declaration made her feel a bit elated and flushed. But any joyful feeling she had melted away when she heard Bofur asking, "What's that?"

She clenched her jaw in understanding before shooting up to crawl over Zo to grab her bag and his violin case. As Thorin yelled for everyone to wake up, Stella twisted her fingers with Zo's. Stella could not restrain the scream that escaped her throat as the floor fell from underneath everyone. She tried to keep her hold on Zo's hand but in the twists of the caverns, they became separated. Her yelps of pain as the rocks scraped her back and arms mingled with the groans of Zo, Bilbo, and the Company. Before long, they fell through a giant hole and landed into a large wooden cave. Before she could grumble her apologies for landing on Dwalin, Stella groaned in pain yet again as one of the dwarves landed on top of her.

"Zo," she whimpered as she clambered up.

She heard the goblins before she saw them. Stella dived behind Bombur as the goblins swarmed around them. She clenched her eyes shut and thoughtfully apologized to Zo for using his violin as a weapon before using the case to hit goblin over the head with it. Stella held the case to her chest before she allowed her backpack to be taken away from her. She panted heavily in her fear before she squinted one eye open. She immediately shut her eyes again so she would not have to look upon the hideous faces of the ones accosting them.

As the goblins began to shove them forward, Stella discreetly placed a hand on the top of Bilbo's head and gently pushed him down. He threw her a confused stare when she turned back but all she could do was whisper, "Remember the riddles."

She doubted he heard her. But she hoped the concern reached him.

As Stella kept being pushed forward, she pressed a fist to her mouth and choked back tears as she thought about her hobbit friend. As she was being led to somebody she was sure was as disgusting as he was in the movie, Bilbo was falling off a cliff and waking up to a maniac. She was assured that he would make it out fine but, god, she was still so scared for him.

Stella kept her head down when they reached the final platform. She was beyond less than willing to place her gaze on the Great Goblin. She could claim she was overcurious but there were some things Stella would never want to see. For example, fish in the grocery market, balut, hurt kittens, spiders, David, and goblins.

But as the violin case was ripped from her arms, Stella couldn't help but open her eyes to glare at the thing in front of her. And it was disgusting. It was hard to think that a living creature could be hideous. She thought the warg from her first day in Middle Earth was bad but the things under the mountain were worse.

Their skin was gray with a green tinge and their eyes were bulbous. Some were covered in warts, some in scars, some in oozing sores, and some in all three. All of them were snarling at her and the dwarves and all of them were laying their filthy hands on the Company.

The platform shuddered as the huge Great Goblin jumped down from his throne and shoved his way closer to them as he sang his horrible song. Zo wrapped an arm around Stella's neck in order to draw her closer to him before he dragged Bifur back by his collar to keep Stella hidden behind her. She peered through Bifur's frizzy hair to peek at the hideous thing.

The Great Goblin was worse than she imagined. He wasn't as fat as the movies showed but he was covered in open sores that were oozing clear and black liquid. She wasn't as close to him as others were – oh, gods, why was Bofur so close and talking to him? – but she could still smell him from where she was standing. It was worth a gag or two.

Stella's hand gripped Bifur's arm once the Great Goblin set his sights on Ori. Thorin was quick to prevent anything from happening but the goblin was just as quick to identify him and the lead orc who had been chasing the Company.

"Azog the Defiler was destroyed," Thorin denied adamantly.

"Oh?" the Great Goblin said flippantly. "Are you sure?"

With a cackle, the goblin bid another away with one hand and demanded tools for torture to be brought forth with another. The goblins sure liked to take their time bringing everything forward. The Company was forced to wait and watch as each machine was set on the platform. The entire time they waited, goblins kept rifling through their things and touching them. Any time one got too close, Zo and Bifur would shift just right so Stella wouldn't be seen.

At some point, there was a horrific screech before she heard the familiar clang of a sword hitting the floor. There were a few more similar sounds before the Great Goblin scrambled up onto his throne.

"Murderers and elf-friends!" the Great Goblin shouted. "Take them away and never let them see the light again!"

As the crowd of goblins began to rush them, all light in the cave went out. There was screeching and growling. There was the sound of metal on metal and echoes hitting from every side. Stella was scrambling and she felt something wet hit her legs but she tried not to think too much of it. There was the slicing sound and then the light came back and all was silent.

There, in front of everybody, stood Gandalf with his staff and Glamdring. There, in front of everybody, stood the Great Goblin with his neck cut open. Dark blood fell from his neck and Stella felt the burn of vomit in her throat.

"Fight! Quickly!" Gandalf urged.

The Company pushed forward to grab their things, especially their weapons. Stella was shaking as she blindly threw weapons to whoever was closest. But as the Company began to defend themselves, the goblins regained their senses and ran forward to initiate the fight.

Stella felt the sting of somebody pulling at her hair roughly. She grabbed whoever it was by their ankle and roughly yanked it forward so they would release her hair and fall backward. She scrambled to her feet but as another goblin made to tackle her, Stella felt herself slip on what she knew to be blood.

* * *

It wasn't that Nori liked the girl. Honest.

Sure, she was a bit cheeky, a bit twitchy, a bit sneaky. But that didn't mean he liked her. She wasn't the quietest being he'd ever met – Bilbo still held that spot – but, Mahal, she had to be the most graceful. She had a funny way of walking, all stepping toe-to-heel, but it made every step look like a dance. He would catch her nicking her friend's paper wrapped tobacco sticks, which he thought was pretty ballsy. There were times when even he couldn't figure out what she was doing – what was up with the riddles on the mountain anyway? – but she was still alright. The girl had potential. But he wouldn't admit that he liked her.

Yeah, the girl could be a bit dim but she was so smart. She was smart in the way Ori was and she was smart in the way Nori was. Ori was book smart and he could list off facts like people actually cared about them and the girl could rattle off riddles and poems the same way. Nori knew how to trick people into giving him what he wanted and anybody who even paid the slightest attention to the girl knew that all she had to do was turn her large eyes their way and say a few disguised insults to guilt them into giving her what she wanted. She was good. She knew that and Nori knew that.

Dori didn't like how close she was to Bofur. But in his eyes, Bofur was alright and so was she. He didn't understand why anybody would want to get into that One business but that was all up to Bofur. He'd been making doe eyes at the girl since day one and Nori knew she was doing the same, even if she didn't seem aware of it.

Bofur liked her a lot. Nori knew a lot of people and he could keep a genial conversation with anybody. That didn't mean he had a lot of friends. But Nori could honestly say that he considered Bofur a friend. Bofur was just as sneaky as the girl was. When they first met, Nori didn't immediately like Bofur but the damned dwarf earned Nori's respect just as the girl did. Those two were one in a million and Mahal had to bless the quest by putting them both in the Company.

Honestly, it wasn't like Nori liked the girl. But even he had to admit that his heart stopped when her eyes caught his as she was jostled off the side of the cliff and then she was just gone.

* * *

**A/N:** My longest chapter so far and at long last, I've decided on my pairing.

When I started writing this story, I knew:  
1) there would be romance and  
2) it would not involved Fili, Kili, or Thorin.

I love the three of them dearly but it just wasn't in me to write their love story (yet).

I started out this story with the idea of Stella/Dwalin in mind simply because it was funny: a stern warrior who likes cookies and a playful woman who dances with fire. But I like them far better in an uncle/niece sort of way. I did play with the idea of Stella/Nori for all of two minutes and then it just hit me: Bofur.

He just snuck up on me. Oh, Stella. Soon…


	10. Chapter 10

In Stella's opinion, it was completely unfair that she didn't pass out on the way down after she fell. She knew that both in the book and in the movie, Bilbo was blessed with unconsciousness after he did. But no, Stella felt everything after _she_ fell. She felt every scrape on her arms and legs, every pounding hit on her head, and every loud beat of her heart.

After she fell roughly onto a troop of bizarre looking mushrooms, she was immediately assaulted by the fall of numerous bags and weapons that were taken from the Company. Once everything seemed to be over, she held a hand up to her head and grimaced as she felt the blood that was caked to her face.

Stella pushed herself up with her shaky arms and tried to slowly sit up. She didn't consider herself medically trained or anything anymore but she thought she remembered enough from her health classes to diagnose herself with whatever was wrong with her.

Head injury? Check.  
Headache? Check.  
Blurred vision? Check.  
Nausea? Check.  
Balance issues? (She tested this one out by trying to stand up and immediately had to slide back down to the floor.) Check.

"I'm fairly alarmed here," Stella spoke softly to herself. "I am alone. Shit, I'm alone in the dark. I hate the dark. I'm experiencing signs and symptoms of a mild concussion."

It had been a while since she took her first aid class. She could remember the signs of a concussion but she could not remember how to treat one. It was with a disappointed sigh that she remembered that forgetfulness was a sign of a concussion as well.

"Okay, Stella, my girl, you can do this." Her whispers carried in the cavern and she could only hope that nothing heard her. "Just get up and keep talking and keep walking and maybe you'll get out of here."

After taking a moment to gather her strength, Stella slowly stood up and took a few wobbly steps forward. Where was the exit? Left or right? Her eyes flickered back and forth. There was no sound where she was, save for her own breathing. She took a moment to look back up, wondering how far she had fallen if she couldn't hear any commotion from up above. She stood absolutely still as she tried to figure out where to go. If she made the wrong decision, she could be stuck there until she died of starvation or was killed. She tried not to think about it. It seemed like an age had passed until she finally felt it.

There was a soft tickle on her arm. She shivered as she felt a cool breeze kiss the blood all over her. Hoping that she would be on her way to safety, Stella would have to turn left.

Before she began to wander away, Stella took some time to rifle through all the things that had fallen with her. There were a few bags but Stella could probably carry no more than two or three. She emptied out a few to repack before she sorted everything out.

"Really?" she scoffed. "Fucking dwarves. Let's go kill a dragon and a few orcs but can't forget our fucking flutes."

She froze at her irritable statement before snorting to herself. She was one to talk. She had been obsessing over carrying Zo's violin almost as much as he was. Speaking of which…

Stella rustled through the mushroom patch until she felt the familiar roughness of Zo's violin case. She closed her eyes and sighed in relief as she splayed her hand across the case. Zo would be happy. And her friend's happiness mattered to her, so no matter what she had to leave behind, that violin would not be one of them.

She rolled up a few blankets into two backpacks and packed as much food as she could as well. Hidden underneath some clothes, Stella found Ori's journal and neatly packed that, too. There were a few knives that had to belong to Fili and there was also a curious little pack filled with long needles that Stella suspected belonged to Nori. The knives she hooked into her belt and she shoved the needle pack into her tunic. She found a neat case that held bandages and vials of various plants that she assumed could only be Oin's.

As she was packing, Stella gasped when her fingers brushed against a familiar small and rectangular shape. She pressed a smaller button at the top and after a moment, the dark cavern was filled with a blinding, white light. Stella swiped her thumb across the touch screen of Zo's phone with cruel familiarity.

Ever since they arrived, Stella and Zo agreed to turn their phones off. There was no point in leaving them on. They clearly would not be able to call anybody and all their apps seemed pointless without WiFi connection. But as Stella browsed through Zo's phone, just for comfort's sake, she felt the pang in her heart that she was becoming familiar with. After turning the screen off, Stella searched for her own phone. She might not be able to use it ever again but maybe if she swore Ori to secrecy, she could get him to copy a picture of her family members on paper.

Beyond that, nothing seemed entirely important. So Stella packed the necessities and selfishly packed her mythology book before she hooked two backpacks over her shoulders and carried her staff in one hand. She gazed what was left over with one last glance, feeling slightly guilty that she could not carry everything, before turning around and making her way down the tight corners underneath the Mountains.

She walked for what seemed like hours, maybe even days. It may very well have been but with her concussion and the deafening silence, she could not be entirely sure. All she knew was that she was tired, alone, and in the dark.

There was nothing she could do about the darkness, much to her chagrin, but she could make the silence a bit more tolerable. So to pass the time and calm herself down, Stella continued talking to herself and added a few songs in between. She switched back and forth between any songs that popped into her head. She never made it through an entire song before she moved on to another. She sang every song she could think of and hummed a few that didn't exist, except to her. She dared not sleep.

She cut herself off when she finally heard something besides her own voice. Somewhere around her, Stella heard soft rustling and maybe the sound of feet on stone. She slowly curled her shoulders forward before shaking her head, wincing as the motion made her head ache, and straightening out her back. She dropped the bags to the floor and moved into the proper position with her staff in front of her.

All the shuffling quieted and then shifted into loud snarling as a heavy body landed on top of her when the attack came from above. Stella screamed the goblin on top of her tackled her down, making her staff roll away, and pulled her by her hair. The goblin used its grip on her hair to bring her head up before smashing her face back into the ground. She was momentarily stunned and there was a silly voice in the back of her mind that reminded her of second-impact syndrome in the case of concussions.

Before the goblin could rear her head back for another blow, Stella regained her senses and slammed her elbow into its gut so it would release her. Though it let go of her, it would not allow her enough time to stand back up. Stella could only turn around on her back until it tackled her once more.

The two of them rolled around on the floor with the goblin trying to the best of its ability to cut Stella open with its crude knife. Stella clenched her eyes shut when the goblin shoved its hideous face closer to growl at hers. She couldn't help by grimace when she felt its spittle on her face. On reflex, Stella bat the goblin's face away from hers, unaware that her jagged nails cut open its skin.

As the goblin jumped away from her to clutch at its face, Stella nervously pat the ground around her until she felt the hilt of one of the knives that had fallen from her belt. She pushed herself to her knees and screamed again as the goblin rushed toward her.

When she didn't feel any more pain, Stella slowly peeked one eye open. She gasped once she caught sight of the dagger dug deep into the goblin's chest. Both them slowly looked up from the knife to look into each other's eyes. Without thinking, Stella quickly yanked the knife out and the goblin stumbled back, clutching its wound with dirty hands.

"I'm sorry," Stella said as warm tears fell down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to."

But the goblin did nothing but growl at her before its breathing grew heavier and slower. It kept its eyes on her as she continued to watch in terror. Just as quickly as it started, the light faded from the goblin's eyes and it stopped breathing.

With a horrified gasp, Stella fell back onto her bottom and covered her mouth to scream into her hands. She bent over her knees and rocked back and forth as she sobbed. No matter what she said or did, no matter who she purposefully pestered, Stella never considered herself to be a violent person. And in the blink of an eye, she became a killer.

Even if she could go back, how could Stella ever face her parents again? How could she ever think about seeing Telma, who was more of a pacifist than Stella was, when she buried a knife into another living being's heart? What would Uri and Ruth say if she told them that she watched something die? What would Nola and Sierra think when they realized that as much as Stella hated herself for it, she couldn't bring herself to regret what she did?

That last thought proved to be too much for Stella to handle. She quickly turned on her knees and let the vomit spill from her lips. She continued to heave until all she had left to throw up was bile and dry gags. Once she was convinced she was done, she slumped back down and began to pull at her hair as she continued to cry.

Logically, she knew she would have to come across a fight at some point. After reading the book and watching the movies multiple times, it was only a matter of time until she stumbled across one. Elrohir and Dwalin trained her for it, after all. But she never thought she would actually have to kill something and she never even considered for a moment that she would have to do it alone.

When she could more or less calm down, Stella pointedly kept her gaze away from the goblin's body as she shakily re-gathered her things. She stopped at the end of the tunnel and almost turned back before sniffling and readjusting her grip on the packs and continued walking.

Stella had no more songs to sing after that. She ignored the silence and kept her eyes on her feet as she kept following the breeze. It wasn't until she realized after she turned another corner that she noticed the darkness receding. She allowed herself to hold a little hope and quickened her pace. And then she was blinded by the glorious light.

She lightly jogged down a tunnel and stumbled onto a mountainside. She glanced around and soaked in the sight of lush trees and laughed to herself. She made it. She would never again be the woman she was on the other side of the Mountains but she made it. They still had miles to go and orcs to fight and spiders – oh, god, the spiders – but she survived goblins. She was alive.

The farther she walked downhill, the more she had to accept that she was the first to make it out of the mountain. At some point, Stella let the bags and her staff fall down onto the floor and she slumped against a huge overturned tree. She wearily closed her eyes and dry swallowed. She wasn't sure which bothered her more: her lack of sleep or her dehydration. She thought it best to keep her mind focused on that instead of what she did in the caves.

She kept her mind blank as the sun began to set. She distantly could feel the breeze blowing her hair against her arms but she kept her gaze focused straight ahead. Her congealed blood was beginning to make her head itch. She vaguely recalled that she never bothered to wipe her face free of her blood, sweat, tears, and vomit. But nothing seemed important anymore.

At least not until she heard the sound of running footsteps behind her. She stiffened at the familiar sound until she realized that it wasn't the sound of just one person, but multiple. She slowly turned around to and was immediately met by the sight of a ruffled Balin. He staggered to a stop and blinked in surprise at the sight of her and opened his mouth to say something when he was interrupted by somebody else.

"Stella, my girl!" Bofur called out.

At the sound of his voice, Stella immediately burst into tears again. She stumbled forward with her arms outstretched to him until he crashed into her. She was sure that she covered his coat with her blood as she buried her face into his neck but she didn't care and she had a feeling he didn't either. His grip around her waist was just as tight as her hold around his shoulders was.

"I was so scared," she cried. "I didn't know what to do. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."

"It's okay," Bofur shushed her as he gently rocked her back and forth. "We're here for you now."

"Stell," Lorenzo's soft voice carried above them. "Stella, please, let go of the knife."

It wasn't until she felt Zo's hands peeling her fingers apart that she realized that in all that time, she never once let go of the knife that killed the goblin. At the sight of bloody knife, Stella couldn't help but push away from Bofur and bend over to dry heave again. As Bofur and Zo helped her down, she made a high-pitched keen in her throat as she tilted her head on Zo's shoulder. He smelled like dirt, blood, and sweat but he lacked his usual scent of tobacco. She found that she missed it.

As Bofur pushed her hair back and used a ripped off piece of his pocket to clean up her face, Ori kneeled in front of her and clasped one of Stella's hands in his.

"There's not a dwarf here who would judge you. It was either you or them in there," he told her gently.

She had a hard time focusing on him as he spoke. After much concentration, she finally brought her gaze up to meet his.

"For what it's worth," he smiled sweetly at her, "I'm glad you did what you had to so you could live."

Stella sniffled before returning a warbled smile. "Thanks, Ori."

After waving away the offered hands of Ori and Zo, Stella leaned up against Bofur as she stood up. Gandalf was muttering to himself and the others were congregating, wondering what to do next.

As she walked forward, she gestured to the two packs on the ground. "I found some things after I fell. I grabbed what I could but I had to leave a lot behind."

There was some joy to be heard as a few dwarves rummaged through the bags but there were a few moans of dismay of what was lost. Stella ignored the latter with a clench of her jaw before she began removing the knives from her belt.

"For god's sake, Fili, how many knives do you have?" she shook her head at him.

"I have a few more under my coat," he said cheekily with a smirk as he accepted them back. "Care for a peek?"

"Don't make me throw up again," she answered wryly before spinning around. "Nori, I think these are yours."

A few dwarves sputtered as Stella reached inside of her tunic but Nori calmly held out his hand. After she placed the needle pack into his palm, his eyes widened and he quickly glanced at the exposed skin of her chest.

"None of these poked you, did they?" he frantically asked.

She pulled her shirt forward and glanced down at her chest before shaking her head. "Nothing. Why?"

"Girl, these are poisonous darts," he waved the pack around.

Stella narrowed her eyes at him. "You are suspicious, aren't you?"

He shrugged his shoulders and gave her an innocent look she didn't believe for a minute.

"And here I thought I couldn't like you any more," her lips twitched. "Sneaky, sneaky."

"Hey," he pulled her back by the hand. "Thanks for this. And for Ori's journal."

She winked at him as she wandered away. Zo made his way to her side as the argument between Gandalf and Thorin began to increase in volume. Throwing his hands up in the air, Gandalf turned away from Thorin and addressed the entire group.

"Tell me again what happened. Where is Bilbo?" he demanded to know.

"Oh, he's just doing a little something," Stella waved a hand. "He's fine. He'll be here soon."

At once, everyone turned to look at her. She merely raised an eyebrow but Zo slightly pushed her behind him.

"You knew?" Dori asked in disbelief. "All that happened, you knew?"

"I think you're all dismissing the whole Seer thing," Stella lifted her head away from Zo's arm but could not bring herself to totally pull away.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Bombur asked.

"Because I couldn't risk it."

"Couldn't risk it?" Thorin repeated. "Your duty is to the Company's safety!"

"My duty is to Middle Earth!" she argued.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Dwalin stepped forward.

"It means that something more than you can possibly comprehend is happening and Bilbo is just the beginning!"

"Your hobbit is gone!" Thorin spat out.

"No, he is not!"

"Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since he first stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing your hobbit again. He is long gone."

"Of course he's thought of nothing but home. Use your head, Thorin! This entire quest is just _you_ thinking of home," Stella exclaimed in exasperation as she ripped herself out of Zo's arms. "Don't you dare make him feel ashamed for being just as homesick as you are! You should feel grateful that he came this far!"

"Why should I feel gratitude for someone who left?" Thorin shouted back. "He's gone!"

"No, he isn't," a voice Stella had been waiting to hear spoke up.

She whirled around and cried, "Bilbo!" before she ran to him and pulled him into her arms.

Bilbo was trembling as he curled himself into Stella's hug. The buttons were ripped off his vest and there more than a few tears on his pants legs. His precious curls were matted near the back and there was dirt all over his face but overall, he seemed to be just fine. After he pulled away, he gave the rest of the Company a relieved smile as nodded at all of them. When nobody but Gandalf and Stella were paying proper attention, Bilbo stealthily slipped a shiny thing into his waistcoat pocket.

Gandalf and Stella shared a serious glance before turning away. She leaned down to place her chin on top of Bilbo's head and held him in her arms from behind. It was at that moment Thorin took the opportunity to throw his ire at the hobbit.

"So, burglar, what were you doing that was so important that our Seer felt the need to keep information about goblins from the rest of us?"

Bilbo slowly turned his head back up to look at her with a dirty glare. Stella only smiled innocently and held a finger up to her mouth, not caring that everyone saw. With a clenched jaw, Bilbo stiffly turned back to the expectant Company.

"I was in the caves but not under Stella's instruction," he lifted his chin up. "And I found something rather important while I was in there."

"What did you find?" Gandalf peered closely at the hobbit.

Bilbo licked his lips as Stella lightly squeezed his shoulders. "I found my courage."

Only three people spared a smile for Bilbo's brave statement and none of them were dwarves. As such, it came to no surprise that Thorin again stepped up.

"That may very well be good but did you not even consider leaving us?"

Bilbo blinked once and tilted his head. "I know you doubt me. I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. That's home. And that's why I came back, because you don't have one. But I will help you take back your home if I can."

Thorin looked at Bilbo in a way that he never had before. But before anybody could say any more, the sound of a howl ran a chill up Stella's spine. She had not heard any wargs since she came across hem on her first day. It had been two months since then but it was not long enough.

Without sparing any time, Zo scooped up his violin case and Stella's backpack before grabbing Stella's wrist and running off downhill. There was a shout behind them and then the sound of the Company following behind. The snarling and shouting was getting louder behind them. Stella briefly remembered that Bilbo might very well need help at that moment but with Zo pulling her along, she couldn't turn around to check.

They did not make it very far when they came to a stop due to the sudden drop of a cliff. Zo and pushed Stella up so she could climb into a tree before he scrambled up to join her. They weren't far along when the dwarves followed suit. Stella watched in horror as Bilbo was the last to scurry up a tree with a warg close at his heels. It was not until everyone was settled on branches that the figures emerged from the trees.

"Oh, this really cannot be good," Zo breathed into Stella's ear.

"It's not," she confirmed grimly. "I suggest going higher and staying close to the trunk."

With a bitten curse, Zo followed her instruction. Stella could not recognize anything the orc was saying but it was all too clear by Thorin's shocked face who it was. She had hoped that the situation would follow the book and that Azog would be dead but it seemed Fate was laughing at the Company.

Fate laughed even harder when Stella heard the groan of the tree trunk. On reflex, she wrapped her arms around the trunk of the tree when she saw the tree the dwarves were on start to lean backwards. Zo heard her small whimper and shifted around so he could sit behind her. His long fingers tried to slip between her palms and the tree trunk to hold her hand. When he found that she would not ease her grip, he settled for tightly wrapping his arms around her waist. She kept her face hidden against the tree and it was only the rumbling of the branches around her that she knew that the Company had jumped from their tree to the one Stella and Zo was on.

When Gandalf started throwing lit pinecones, the Company was startled into action. A few pinecones made their way to Stella and she passed them along to Zo with a yelp as the embers burned her tender fingertips. The dwarves began to cheer when the wargs were pushed back by the fire on the ground. But their cheers turned to cries when the tree began to fall. Stella knew that the tree would fall but she wasn't ready for it. It was all too soon after her tumble in the goblin caves.

Stella whimpered again when she felt the open air beneath her dangling legs. Above her, she could hear Dori and Ori calling out for Gandalf. When Dwalin yelled out, Stella nervously peered out to see Thorin running back towards Azog.

"I am going to kick him when we get out of this," Stella growled into the wood.

"Get in line," Zo said just as angrily.

Despite her anger, Stella could not help but cry out when she noticed the small figure of her favorite hobbit rush into the danger. Heaven help Thorin when he woke up later. He always made people want to impress him. It could have been admirable if she wasn't so horrified about it. Dwalin, who was so unlike her _tatay_ but she could not help comparing the two, and Fili and Kili, who were so much like Uri, joined Bilbo with swords raised high and battle cries on their lips. She could not see much of what was going on but she heard every shout, every clash of swords, and every snarl.

It was almost a relief when Dori and Ori fell. Help had arrived and, god, Stella was not ready for the sudden drop but she really needed to leave that wretched mountain. One Eagle after another grabbed members of the Company before flying off.

"Ready?" Zo asked her as they stood up with shaky legs on the tree branch.

She was exhausted. She was hungry. She was angry. But most of all, she was scared. "No."

"Ditto," Zo nodded as he interlocked his fingers with hers.

Despite their preparation to jump, she could feel Zo's tension as she locked her knees and clenched her eyes tightly shut. She had much rather not to be attacked by orcs but she would also much rather not jump off a tree down a cliff with the hopes that an Eagle _might_ catch her. However, that day proved that Stella would not get what she wanted at all for an Eagle came swooping down and pushed her out of the tree.

"Zoey!" she instinctively screamed as she reached a hand out while she fell through the air.

The swooping sensation in her stomach was sickening. The fall was brief but no less frightening. The Eagle Stella and Zo had landed on was sturdy and made no visible indication that it was bothered by their presence on its back. The angry yell of frustration carried in the wind from behind them until it faded into nothing more.

Stella knew she trembling fiercely as she buried her face into the Eagle's feathers with her shoulders hunched up to her ears. Indeed, it was a good long while until she felt even remotely safe. She could hear Fili and Kili shouting Thorin's name but he never answered. She hoped she would hear Bilbo or Bofur but they never spoke either. She flinched when she felt Zo's hand at her back.

"You really have to see this."

She had never heard him sound so in awe before. Very carefully, Stella drew up her knees so she could slowly sit herself up. When she settled into a position that didn't seem so precarious, she opened her eyes. And she gasped.

Far below them were forests and plains that went on for miles. The sun was rising ahead of them and it cast a soft orange glow upon the lush green trees that covered the mountain. The Eagles would swoop down and large rocks of the mountains would rush pass them. Stella had not seen anything more magnificent in her entire life.

Ever so slowly, Stella reached into her tunic to pull out the only object that remained hidden from her tumble in the caves. With practiced ease, she turned on the camera on Zo's phone and aimed at nothing, only the general sight in front of them.

"Is that my phone?" he asked her incredulously.

She took picture after picture of the mountains below them and the trees under them. She twisted and turned so she could get pictures of the Company on the backs of giant Eagles. "Nobody will believe you when you get home. And they don't have to. But it's happening, Zo. And here's the proof."

He was quiet as she zoomed in on Ori, who seemed to be only one who was slightly enjoying himself. When she was in the middle of shifting again, he casually took the phone from her hand. He fiddled with it for a moment before sticking his arm out in front of them.

He cleared his throat before saying, "Might as well get a pic with my best girl then."

Stella sighed and lowered his hand. "Zo…"

"Stella," he cut her off sharply. He pressed his forehead into the back of her neck. "Just give me this, alright?"

She winced before she nodded.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and stuck the camera out again. He said casually, "Besides, I can't miss the opportunity for the ultimate selfie."

Stella stared at herself in the screen of Zo's phone. She hadn't seen her own reflection in weeks. She had not changed much. Her cheeks were still round and her eyes were still wide and her lips weren't chapped. She had dirt all over her face and she could see tear tracks on her face. There were a few spots of blood under her nose and on her forehead. Her hair was a tangled mess but it could be almost be excused by the wind. The only thing that was different about her was something in her expression that almost scared her. But when wasn't she scared those past few days?

So Stella did what she did best: she plastered on a bright smile and didn't blink as Zo took the last picture of them together.

* * *

**A/N:** Shiningheart of ThunderClan expressed the concern that Stella might come across Gollum. I have to be honest, that actually never occurred to me but goodness, I'm having so much fun thinking about it. Maybe I'll write an alternative chapter one day. As for the other concern, Shiningheart, you almost got it but plot twist: Stella got out first. Love it.


	11. Chapter 11

It was only a few hours into the morning when the Eagles landed. However, they did not land at the Carrock like Stella expected. Instead, the Company found themselves dropped onto a wide shelf of rock on the mountain side. After Zo helped Stella down, she turned about to take in the location. They were not on a hill of stone with winding stairs leading down. No, they were placed upon rough stone that had no path around it at all, unless one wished to jump a dangerous distance. The members of the Company were arriving only in pairs at a time. Whenever somebody would show up, they would jump down from the Eagles' backs looking rather ruffled before joining the others to sit with their backs along the mountain wall.

"Where are we?" Stella asked out loud.

"In the Eyrie, fledgling," a voice answered.

She slowly raised her gaze to meet the eye of the large Eagle that had carried her. Its large amber eyes blinked once and it tilted its head sideways. It quickly swivels its head the other way – a few too many degrees than Stella was comfortable with watching – so it could trim its feathers before it turned back to keep looking at her.

"Oh, you can speak," she said faintly. "That's unexpected. Lovely, but unexpected."

"You better sit before you fall," the Eagle advised.

Its voice was a strange yet pleasing combination of a rumble and a screech. It was unlike anything that Stella had ever heard before and she doubted she would hear it again once the Eagles left. It watched her as she plopped down gracelessly where she stood. There was a rush of movement on the other side of the Eyrie when Thorin was brought in still unconscious. Fili and Kili surrounded Thorin on both side and Gandalf rushed in to place a healing hand on Thorin's forehead. It was only when Thorin shot up from the floor that the Eagle made its way past her.

"Rest now, fledgling."

That was all that it said before it swooped down off the edge of the Eyrie before flying off. At Zo's coaxing, Stella half-heartedly crawled her way to the mountain wall before slumping down against it. She watched through exhausted eyes as Thorin embraced Bilbo as a friend. The dwarves smiled together as they watched on and she wished she could share their sudden wakefulness.

"You are truly brave, master burglar," Thorin pulled away to grant Bilbo a wide smile and a pat on the arm. "Truly, I owe you my life."

"You owe me nothing," Bilbo waved his hands about in his fluster. "I did what anyone would. Your life is truly important."

"Yeah, can we talk about that?" Zo interrupted the moment as he towered above the both of them.

Thorin slowly raised his gaze to meet his as Bilbo's eyes flickered between the both of them curiously. "What is there to talk about?"

"We can talk about your fucking brilliant idea to attack an orc on a warg without sparing a second thought to the rest of us," Zo didn't quite snap but his sharp words had the rest of the Company fidgeting.

"That filth was responsible for the ill fate of my grandfather and father," Thorin snarled.

"And you're responsible for this Company and your kingdom," Zo reminded him harshly. "Honestly, what kind of a king do you expect to be if you don't even think your actions through?"

Before Thorin could angrily retort, Stella pushed off the wall and made her way between them.

"Thank you, Lorenzo, very helpful," she put a hand on her friend's chest to push him away. "However," she turned back to Thorin, "he made an excellent point. Don't do that again."

"Who are you to dictate my actions?"

"Oh, Thorin, Thorin, Thorin," Stella laughed without humor. "I'm the Seer you depend on but I don't need to see the future to know that Azog equals bad."

Without warning, Stella landed a rough kick on Thorin's shin. He flinched back and rubbed at his leg with an angry but surprised pout on his lips.

"What was that for?" he demanded to know.

"For worrying me, you idiot king," Stella smoothed her hair down. "Honestly. Go hug your nephews already. You about took off fifty years from their lives with your recklessness."

He hesitated until she raised an imperious brow. He whirled around with a huff before stopping short. Fili had his chin slightly lifted but his jaw was clenched as tightly as his fists. Kili was tense and his eyes were slightly wide as he watched his uncle closely. He was still and looked lost, as if he was not entirely sure what to do. It was a far cry from their usual relaxed stances and their easy grins.

Without a word, Thorin raised his arms to welcome his nephews into his embrace. Kili immediately melted into Thorin's torso as he wrapped his arms around his uncle. Yet Fili remained still. His eyes stared without focus straight ahead. It was not until Thorin gently stroked a hand down Fili's hair that he slowly but surely leaned into the hug. His only contribution to the embrace was a hand on Thorin's elbow and yet the gesture was just as warm as Kili's firm hold on his family.

As Gandalf spoke to a large Eagle who had stayed behind, Stella wandered over to Oin. She stood silently as he happily watched the tender scene between the sons of Durin. When he finally noticed her presence, she politely smiled when he jumped in surprise.

"I have a concussion," she promptly said. "Fix me."

"Eh?" he leaned closer to her.

"I hit my head. Numerous times. I have a concussion," she spoke louder into his ear, gathering the attention of everyone else. "Heal me."

"Alright, lass, no need to shout," he shook his head as he led her over to a large boulder to sit on.

"Trust me, if she was shouting, you'd know," Zo grumbled.

Stella doubted she had ever actually shouted at Lorenzo in her life but she didn't say anything. He was obviously still irritated at Thorin. Let him say what he wanted.

She answered Oin's questions obediently but could not help but wonder at her answers. He wanted her to rate her pain but how could she answer that? Should she answer in relation to her own experience of pain? Oin treated warriors and workers who knew pain on a different level than Stella. How do burns from dancing compare to a landing a hammer on a hand or injuries from sparring with weapons?

"Four, I guess," she finally answered.

"Just four?" he pushed. "Are you sure?"

"My head is pounding and I just want to sleep but it's not like I've been stabbed," she shrugged.

"I didn't ask if you were stabbed, I asked to rate your pain accurately," Oin said impatiently.

"Okay! Six or seven." Before the healer could huff again, she hurriedly continued, "Hey, I've been burned before and that hurt way worse than this. Seven is about as accurate as I can give you."

She closed her eyes and relaxed in her seat as he muttered around her. As he gathered what little supplies she had grabbed in the caves, Dwalin wandered over to her.

"Decent cut you got yourself," he tilted her chin up so he could properly look at the crusted over wound on her forehead. "It might even scar."

"Why do you sound so proud over that?" she wondered with a pout.

"Scars are good. They mean you've seen things."

"I've seen enough and I didn't like it," she looked away as she absently scratched at one of the scars on her arms.

When she looked back up at him, she caught him staring at her arms before he casually looked back into her eyes. "You don't have to like it. You just have to live through it."

She didn't bother telling him that she would much rather not have to live through it. No, a life without complications and dark things would be much preferable. However, she was not naïve enough to think it was possible. But she kept her mouth shut. He wouldn't want to hear it anyway.

"Well, lass, not much to do but clean up this blood and keep watch over you," Oin settled his hands on his hips as he stared down her with no nonsense in his eyes. "We're all tired but be prepared to be woken up while you sleep. If you don't wake up…well, we'll handle that when we get there."

She nodded obediently and didn't wince as he vigorously ran a damp cloth over her forehead. His hands were gentle on her chin, despite how rough he was on her cuts. In a way, Oin faintly reminded Stella of her Lola Ligaya. Her grandmother on her mother's side was always brash with her love, much unlike Stella's La Tala on her dad's side. La Tala was there to treat hurts with a warm plate of food and a kiss to brush away the tears. Lola Ligaya would tell Stella and her cousins to walk it off but she would always be there to carefully watch them, just in case.

It was beginning to make her head swim. Stella's family was always that: hers. She thought that she would never find anybody like them. Never did she think that would find reminders of them in the middle of a fictional world.

She wasn't sure if all the reminders comforted her or made it hurt worse.

The Eagles later returned with dry boughs to light a fire and rabbits, hares, and a sheep for food. As per usual, Stella turned around as the dwarves merrily killed and skinned the animals. She had not been in Middle-Earth long enough to be apathetic to the killing of animals, thank you very much, and in light of recent events, she was even more sensitive to the sight of blood. She was sure that she could be a newly turned vegetarian if it were not for the fact that dwarves rarely, if ever, ate fruits and vegetables and only gathered meat and nuts for food.

"You couldn't have grabbed my tinderbox in that cave, lass?" Gloin grumbled to Stella as he and his brother struggled to coax a fire to life.

She tilted her head and asked, "What's a tinderbox?"

"What's a – " he sputtered. "How do they start fires wherever it is you're from?"

"Lighters and matches," she shrugs.

"What?" Gloin and Oin sat up to look at her curiously.

"Oh, move over," Zo finally shoved them away to kneel at the pile of dry branches. He fiddled with his Zippo for a moment before lighting one branch aflame and then slowly waving it over the rest of the pile. Within a minute, warmth filled the edges of the Eyrie. "Ta-fucking-da. Easy-peasy."

"Instant fire in hand," Nori said with awe as he greedily eyed Zo's lighter. Zo immediately noticed and tucked it away into his sleeve, making Nori grin. "Ingenious."

With narrowed eyes, Zo shuffled away from Nori to sit at Stella's side. The rest of the morning was spent eating sluggishly and the dwarves informing Stella and Bilbo what happened in the caves after they both had disappeared. Oin made his way between each member, checking over wounds, as Thorin surveyed from behind. At some point, Bofur made his way over and sat dutifully still as Stella maneuvered her way into his arms.

Don't be mistaken – she had seen the looks the Company gave the both of them any time they got too close. There was some part in Stella's mind that whatever it was they were doing, it was probably inappropriate by Dwarven standards. But that part was small and almost quiet and shoved into a corner. A larger part was screaming at her to not care. She didn't. Because Bofur was her friend and she found comfort in his embrace and she knew he found happiness in hers. And, after all, what was so wrong about that?

After she settled down with her cheek resting on his shoulder and he placed his head over hers, she was startled awake from her light doze by a bright flash. She immediately glared at the widely grinning Zo, who didn't bother to put down his phone.

"Aw, precious," he cooed.

"Shut up," she snapped before she relaxed her furrowed brow. "Let me see."

He casually tossed his fragile phone and she easily caught it. She turned it around and smiled at the bright picture she was greeted with. The flash was overwhelming and they looked positively wretched but overall, it was a cute picture. Both of them had their eyes closed and were perfectly relaxed in each other's company.

"What's that?" Bofur mumbled into her ear.

"It's a picture of us," she tilted the screen to show him. "We do look nice, don't we? For being so tired and dirty, anyway."

"How'd you get a picture so quickly?" he slowly became more coherent.

"Nothing to worry your pretty face about," Zo yanked the phone from Stella's fingers before he plopped down on the other side of her. "I'm ready to knock the fuck out."

"Knock the fuck out, Lorenzo," she repeated tiredly before she closed her eyes.

* * *

Her eyes opened slowly and her heart was pounding. It was still morning when Stella woke up yet she knew an entire day had to pass. She did not feel well rested like she hoped she would; instead, she felt still weary and sluggish. It was to be expected after Oin woke her up every few hours throughout the night and in the few hours she did manage sleep, they were tainted by nightmares filled with blood and screeching. She tried in vain to go back to sleep but she was terrified of what she might see if she closed her eyes again. It was not that she had too many thoughts running in her mind but too little. Any time her mind went quiet, the nightmares would silently slip in and take over. Her mind felt empty and she was not sure how she felt about that. She was not sure if she felt anything at all.

She wiggled away from the grasps of Bofur, Bilbo, and Zo. She stumbled towards the cold remains of what used to be the fire and nibbled on the few cooked pieces of rabbits left over. She jumped and almost dropped the bone that dangled from her lips when she caught notice of the imposing figure watching her.

"Shit, Thorin!" Stella quietly exclaimed, careful not to wake anybody else up. "I had no idea you could be so sneaky."

"You share the same sentiments with the burglar," he nodded towards where she had slept. "He had the same doubts when we left Rivendell."

"Bilbo, his name is Bilbo," she waved the hand holding the rabbit bone with slight irritation.

"I know his name," he furrowed his brow at her.

"Then perhaps you should call him by it. How would it make you feel if everyone simply referred to you as Oakenshield or blacksmith, and never Thorin?"

He tilted his head down as he looked away. Perhaps she could have worded it a little more eloquently. There was some part of Stella that believed that maybe people _had_ simply called Thorin the blacksmith.

Even amongst the Company, they regarded Thorin with awe but still called him Oakenshield. Stella could admit that she was in awe of the name Oakenshield ever since she first read _The Hobbit_ when she was younger. The name Thorin Oakenshield was met with reverence anywhere it was whispered but Stella had to wonder if Thorin himself liked the moniker he was given.

"You have a talent for convincing people to regard your words," he answered.

"Just as you have a talent for changing the subject," she wiggled her eyebrows at him. "But I'll allow it."

"You'll allow it," he scoffed under his breath. "You are cheeky."

"I prefer charismatic."

He gave her an almost smile before asking, "Did you know that Azog still lived?"

Stella sighed. "I suspected but I wasn't entirely sure."

And she truly couldn't. There was so much going on that she wasn't positive if the world she was in followed the movies in totality. She initially believed she was but then things would happen that only occurred in the book. It took a while but it was not until the Eagles put them in the Eyrie that Stella finally settled in believing she was in a strange combination of the two. That conclusion was a source of great frustration for her. How could she know that whichever situation she was in would follow the book or the movie?

"Now that I know he's alive, there's something I need to tell you," Stella turned to Thorin.

"Oh, you actually plan on telling me things now?" he asked caustically.

She ignored him. "Azog has a son."

His head whipped around so he could stare at her with wide eyes. "What?"

"His name is Bolg and he's just as vicious as his father," she informed him. "From what I'm…Seeing, you don't come across him personally but he's dangerous to the Company and any allies you'll gather along the way."

"How dangerous?"

Stella bit her lip. "I haven't read any of Balin's contracts but I do hope he has a clause claiming no responsibility for…you know…lost limbs, fatal injuries, et cetera."

Thorin exhaled slowly. His arms looked heavy as he folded them and leaned heavily against the wall. He rested his forehead against his arms and his thick, dark hair shielded his face away from Stella.

She walked over and hesitantly reached out to place a hand on Thorin's shoulder. He tensed, but only very briefly. She had to admit her surprise when he did not shrug her away but instead put one of his large hands over hers.

"Will he kill one of them?" he asked.

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

"Very well," he pulled away from the wall. "We must be more cautious."

She wondered if he thought they were being reckless so far, as if they were asking for Azog to catch up to them so soon. But she said nothing and instead helped him coax everyone wake. By the time the Company was coherent and fed, Gandalf had caught the attention of various Eagles. He not so gently shooed everyone to an assigned Eagle and explained that they would be guiding them only so far.

"And just why not to the Lonely Mountain?" Gloin protested.

"Your Mountain is far too close to a settlement of Men," the Eagle explained patiently. "Men shoot at us with their bows and arrow out of fear."

With a few grumbles from the dwarves and a roll of the eyes from Zo, the Company climbed onto the backs of a dozen Eagles and took to the sky. The morning was cool, and Zo was more than content to watch the mist roll over the hills and across the valleys. He had a smile to spare when he gazed upon Stella, although he had more than a few worries when he had to grab her by her waist when she began leaning a little too far over the side for his comfort.

They stayed in the air for hours, much to Zo's not-so-obvious delight. When they came across a familiar piece of rocking jutting out into the sky, the Eagles descended in great spirals. Zo coaxed Stella up to sit in front of him before he guided both of their arms out so it was like they were flying with the Eagles.

"All this time, Lorenzo," Stella shook her head as she slid off the Eagle once they landed on the Carrock.

"All this time what?" he asked.

Her grin was steadily growing wider. "You've been a nerd like the rest of us this entire time, haven't you?"

His hands struck out to pull her over by her arms before he left an elated and chaste kiss on her lips. "Fuck off."

"Stop that," she said crossly with her eyes hooded over before she widened them back up again in her excitement. "But you are! Oh, my god, how could I have forgotten! You've been a loser since day one, this is just too good."

She didn't bother fighting him as he picked her up and toted her around in mock indignation. Instead, she leaned into his tall frame, laughing uproariously. Lorenzo had been a tall, dark, stoic figure for such a long time in Stella's life that she sometimes forgot the excitable, gangly boy she had first met in freshman year.

She assumed that he simply grew up. But with his interactions with the Eagle, she was beginning to see that he was still just as silly as ever.

It seemed very foolish all of a sudden to think that Lorenzo would ever throw away his silliness so easily. After all, that was what made her fall in love with his character so very long ago. Stella never kept up friendships that did not appeal to her. If Zo did change so much, she would know.

She supposed she knew all along that he was a loser once, a loser forever. Just like her.

She was still giggling breathlessly when he put her down to put her in a headlock. "I hate you," he grunted as he yanked her around.

"No, you don't," she spun around easily with each turn. "You love me deeply, passionately, eternally!"

With a disgusted sigh to the heavens, he simply stated, "I'm so fucked."

Brushing aside his faux pity party, Stella turned back to the Eagle with her head still trapped under Zo's arm. "Thank you for the lift, Mr. Eagle."

The Great Eagle had been watching their interaction silently with only a broad tilt of the head to display its curiosity. It focused a large, amber eye on her as it said, "Landroval."

She punched Zo roughly in his side, making him hiss and pull away. She smoothed her hair back with no amount of grace. "What?"

"You may refer to me as Landroval."

"Landroval," she repeated under her breath. She gave him a wide smile with her eyes even wider. "That's a nice name."

"'That's a nice name'?" Zo visibly slumped. "He just carried us God knows how far on his back miles up in the air, showed us beautiful scenery we will never see again, and he gives you the honor of knowing his name and you just say that it's nice?"

As usual, Stella ignored him. He annoyed her by being too easily complacent. She annoyed him by refusing to acknowledge his existence when it suited her. It was amazing how effective it was.

"Thank you for the lift, Landroval. I don't know what I could do to return the favor but if you think of something, just search for Stella Villa- oh, no, no, no!"

Lorenzo, tired of being ignored, picked Stella back up into his arms and twisted her around so one knee was over his shoulder and her head was by his knees. He spun around quickly, yet carefully so he would not step on her braided hair. She squealed to herself before releasing her almost hysterical laughs.

After Zo let her down, Stella continued spinning on the top of the Carrock until she whirled happily in front of Dwalin. He had his back straight and arms crossed over his upright war hammer. She swayed on the balls of her feet as she goofily smiled at him. In return, he never wavered from his stern countenance.

"And what, may I ask, has you acting so foolishly?" he asked.

"Dwalin!" She cried out as she gestured wildly to the birds that were still about. "How many people have the honor of flying with the Great Eagles? That was amazing!"

"This, coming from the girl who hid her face the entire time," Zo shook his head.

"It was still fun," she sniffed as she flicked her braid in his face, making him close his eyes in irritation. He briefly lifted a mocking fist, making her raise her chin in provocation, before he turned around to continue speaking to Landroval.

"Fun?" Dwalin scoffed. "Those were dangerous heights and you should have been more cautious."

"Dangerous and fun," Stella sang. "It was perfectly natural."

"Nothing natural about it. If mortals were meant to fly, we'd have wings."

"But then we'd find something like walking dangerous," she pointed out.

"Oh, forget it. It seems you thrive on danger," Dwalin shook his head as he picked up his hammer with one hand.

She peered at him suspiciously. "Dwalin, do you..._care_...if something happens to me?"

"Of course, you ridiculous girl," he answered snappishly.

"Aw!" She cried out before wrapping her thin arms around his thick waist. "That's so sweet, Uncle Dwalin!"

"Uncle?" He repeated loudly as he gently shoved her away.

"Yep! You care about me so that makes you honorary uncle of the Villanueva family. Would you prefer Uncle or Tito?"

He grumbled something that sounded vaguely like "foolish girl" as he turned away. Stella visibly wiggled, looking like a kitten preparing to pounce. And pounce she did, right onto Dwalin's back. As he immediately tensed and raised his arms to try to throw her off, she briefly thanked whichever voice in Dwalin's head that convinced him to not strap his weapons in his back just yet.

She nuzzled her cheek into his tattooed forehead and said softly, "I care about you, too, Uncle."

If she looked down, she might have seen the tips of his ears flush a pretty pink color. Instead, all she heard was his incessant growling. So she decided to be slightly kind and let it go. She jumped down off of him and danced away back towards Zo's side before Dwalin could take a swipe at her.

The Company waved joyfully as the dozen Eagles began to fly away. Many of them cried out their thanks and promises of debts.

"Until we meet again, fledglings," Landroval spoke lastly to Stella and Zo before he followed his kin.

With the look of awe still upon his face, Zo slowly raised his hand to reveal his cell phone. He managed to take a few hasty pictures before the screen went dark.

"Damn it," he muttered as his phone finally died, but his brief disappointment was not enough to quell his still-present elation.

Stella stayed by his side as he watched the Eagles soar away until they were well out of sight. Behind them, the Company gathered along the edge of the other side of the Carrock. When they joined them, Stella glanced at them before following their gaze. In the distance was a solitary peak surrounded by low, gray clouds. It was the first sight of Erebor any of them had seen in years or for the very first time.

Above them, small birds sung their sweet songs as they flew past them to go in the general direction of the mountain.

"Look!" Oin declared. "The portents were correct. The ravens are returning."

"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush," Gandalf declared.

"But we'll take it as a sign," Thorin never looked away from the mountain. "A good omen."

"You're right," Bilbo nodded. "I do believe the worst is behind us."

Stella had to smile at his optimism.

"Dude," Zo broke the silence. "What do you mean the worst is behind us? We still have to fight a fucking dragon."

She sighed.

"Oh, Lorenzo."

* * *

**Tagalog translations:  
**Lola / La - grandma

**A/N**: Huge thank you to AwkwardlyQuietThespian, who helped me out with Stella's Tagalog. There's also nothing wrong about crying over the inevitable. I may have a few future inevitable things already written up and I may also cry over them every time I review them. Just a hint ;) I also had a huge chunk talking about the last movie before I remembered...Stella has never had the privilege of seeing it. That just made my job a little harder...

And that concludes _An Unexpected Journey_! Beorn, my beloved, I look forward to writing you.


	12. Chapter 12

Making their way down the Carrock was easier than Stella imagined it would be. She thought it would involve a careful, slow descent while clinging to the wall of the rock. Instead, there was a well-worn stairway that revolved down the Carrock and was effortless to walk down. The dwarves were lackadaisical as they walked down but Stella still pressed herself against the side of the rocks.

"When all this is over, remind me to introduce all you Dwarves and Elves to the wonderful architectural design of handrails," she grumbled as she clung to Bofur's hand as he helped her down each step.

"Handrails?" Kili's nose wrinkled as he grinned down at her from the step above her. "Why would we need those?"

"Oh, don't you pretend you don't need them," she shook a finger at him. "I know the reason why you don't have them is some weird intimidation factor."

"It's the go-to aesthetic of Middle-Earth," Fili admitted with a laugh.

"Aesthetic," she repeated with a scoff.

"Don't mind the complainer," Zo spoke up from behind all of them. "She just hates admitting that heights freak her out."

"You can shut the fu-" Stella's short statement was interrupted by her tripping over a rock.

She stumbled over the step and Bofur quickly turned around to catch her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around her arms around his neck on reflex and immediately froze so she wouldn't tilt him backwards. They were still for a moment before they slowly turned their heads to look at each other.

As usual, if Bofur wasn't smiling, the first things that caught Stella's attention about him were his eyes. She had grown up hearing people praise literally every single eye color except brown, which made her a little self-conscious about hers. All those people had obviously never seen eyes as lovely as Bofur's. His were the color of mahogany – dark brown with streaks of light copper. The black ring around the iris was barely visible yet if she looked close enough, she could see the way his pupil dilated whenever he looked at her. If she looked closer still, she could see her reflection in his eyes. But she never looked for that. She wouldn't dare look for herself in him when she was content to just see him.

Her favorite part about Bofur's eyes wasn't really them at all: it was the lines around them. She had guessed how old he was (and how that would translate if he was along her own life span) and he had a few wrinkles here and there to show it but they were gorgeous. There wasn't a single frown line in sight on his face. All there was were a few upward tilts and valleys of joy written into his skin. He had every reason to frown but he rarely did.

The crows' feet around his eyes led her gaze down to the laugh lines around his mouth. When her eyes landed on his lips, she caught her breath. That pesky feeling of lightness filled her gut and for a moment, she felt like she really did fall down the stairs. She had a fondness for clichés so she wasn't embarrassed to say she thought her heart skipped a beat.

She wasn't in middle-school anymore. Stella was more than aware she had a crush. If she thought about it, she might have been surprised that she felt a spark of something for Bofur from the second she really noticed him in Rivendell. If she thought about it even further, she wouldn't be surprised at all. She could even freely admit all that, if she had a best friend around her to admit it to. But Nola and Sierra, her very best friends from college, weren't there. She could probably tell Zo but he had an asshole tendency to be a snitch and that was not how she wanted Bofur to find out. She could even tell Bilbo, or maybe Ori, but she had a feeling that they wouldn't know what she expected them to do with that information.

Nola probably wouldn't be much help either. With an aching fond remembrance, Stella could practically hear her jeering voice saying, "Get on top of that, girl!" But Sierra would know what to do, as she always did. She was always there to make sure Stella would get her head out of the clouds. Sierra would firmly hold Stella's arm and place two gentle fingers under her chin and tell her, "Tell him. If he says yes, I'm happy for you. If he says no, I'm here for you. If he says worse than that, he didn't deserve you in the first place."

Stella had yet to look away from Bofur's soft lips – oh, God, since when did she refer to his mouth as soft? She was in deeper than she thought she was – as Fili, Kili, and Zo calmly walked around them.

Zo made a point of flicking Stella's face and said with a smirk, "Get a room already."

Without missing a beat, Stella firmly slapped the back of his head as he passed by.

"God fucking damn it, woman!" he cursed her as he barely tensed.

"No more insinuations," she jabbed a finger into the back of his neck, making him hiss at her. "Bofur and I will work out our situation on our terms without you, thank you."

"We will?" Bofur asked nervously.

"Yes," she promised with a gentle smile. "But not now because me and stairs don't do so goody so I need to concentrate."

When the Company had finally reached the bottom of the Carrock, Gandalf led the way towards the home of a "Somebody" that Stella knew to be Beorn. Honestly, she had no idea why Gandalf insisted on being purposefully and irritatingly mysterious all the time but she had no desire to confront him about it. They walked mile or so until they reached the river that Bifur identified to her as the Anduin.

Stella and Bifur began to make their way to bathe separately from everybody else when they were interrupted. Balin volunteered himself to escort Stella to a separate area of the river so Bifur could have the opportunity to wash with his cousins. She and Bifur exchanged a curious glance but shrugged amiably before Bifur followed the rambunctious Company and Stella followed Balin. They walked quietly for some time until Balin turned towards her.

"Do you have any family, Miss Villanueva?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "My parents, two sisters, and a brother."

"A finely rounded out family," he smiled. "But nobody in this area?"

"No. It's just me and Zo."

"Does Master Marchesi have family?"

"A mother and two older brothers. The eldest is married and last I heard, his wife is pregnant."

"I suppose it will be nice joy to behold when you return."

"Zo acts all nonchalant about it but I know he'll be happy," she nodded.

"And you?"

"And me what?"

"Will you be happy to see the babe?"

Stella furrowed her brow. "Thorin didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Balin's own eyebrows lifted up.

"I can't go back. Zo will go back by the end of the year, I'm sure, but I won't," she informed him. "Can't."

"Can't?" he asked.

"Can't," she shrugged. "I'll be here for the rest of my life, I guess…"

Balin stroked down his gray-streaked beard. "By here, I'm assuming you have plans on where you'll live?"

"None at all," she shook her head. "Zo said he'd stay to help me figure it out but…I couldn't do that to him."

"So you have no idea where you'll live once this quest is done and over with?" he asked as he set his pack down against a tree trunk.

Stella settled her own pack next to his and sighed heavily. "I don't know. Rivendell was nice so maybe there. Bilbo is so sweet that I'm sure he'd let me stay with him if I asked. I probably wouldn't even need to ask. He'd say a decent friend would let me stay."

"He is a very charitable friend," Balin agreed. "But you have no intentions of staying in Erebor, if we are successful?"

She bit the inside of her cheek as she ran her fingers through her messy hair. "I never thought that it was an option, to be quite honest."

"I'm sure Bofur would be happy if you would stay," he said with a wink.

Stella looked at him with wide eyes. She turned her incredulous stare to the open trees around them and slowly shook her head. "We are the most obvious saps in all of Middle-Earth, aren't we?"

"Yes. Yes, you are," he said cheerfully. "A good reason to stay, I should think."

"Is this my official invitation?" she asked slyly.

"If you would like one," he chuckled before opening his arms widely and bowing to her. "Miss Villanueva, if we are to be successful in our quest, I would like to invite you stay at Erebor."

She smiled as she looked away. "Thank you. I'll think about it."

He continued speaking to her as he turned his back so she could wash up in the cold water. She scrubbed viciously at the caked on black blood on her arms and face as he said, "You would like staying at Erebor. You would particularly get along with Bombur's wife and children."

"He said that, too," she told him as she remembered how fondly Bombur always spoke of his family. "She seems sweet."

"I've heard nothing but praises about them all," Balin admitted. "Gloin's wife and Thorin's sister are forces to be reckoned with but based on what I've seen of your interactions with Master Marchesi, I would say you are, too."

"Oh, hush," she said with a grin as she dipped her head back to wash her hair.

"Ori, Fili, and Kili would be overjoyed if you stayed, as well. And I'm sure once Gloin's young Gimli joins, he would enjoy your presence."

"You know, I would have thought that you would have spoken about Erebor's grandeur to make me stay," she confided. "Not so much the families that will live there."

"I think it's rather clear that you find treasures in friendship, not in wealth and architecture," he said. "Although the Erebor of my memories is magnificent, I will admit."

"I'm sure it was."

"Speaking of families, I've been meaning to tell you, lass," he hesitated for a moment, "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" she asked.

"Dwalin and I affirmed long ago that children were never to be in our future. Such is the way for many dwarrows. As much as we have cared for Fili and Kili, they were never ours. It meant quite a large deal not just to Dwalin but also me when you called him Uncle. It was very kind. Thank you for that."

Stella froze in place as she crawled out of the river. Balin still had his back towards her. His hands were clasped behind his back and he was rolling back on his heels in rather endearing way.

She honestly didn't think much about calling Dwalin Uncle. It was easy so she did it. He wasn't the only uncle she had. She had three on her father's side and one from her mother's side. Tito Noah was stern, Tito Omar was annoying, Tito Piolo was rarely around, and Tito Aurelio was the cool one. Dwalin was a strange mixture of all of them.

Stranger still was how often she could see her family and friends in all the people around her. Everything was a constant reminder of them. It only made the desire to return home so much stronger. Just talking about staying in Middle-Earth made Stella feel faintly ill.

"Well," she thought out her answer as she pulled on some of her cleaner clothes from her pack, "he may not have said anything but he started taking care of me first. It only seemed right to welcome him into the family."

He turned to smile up at her after she placed her hand upon his shoulder. "And it is a joy to welcome you into ours."

She looked down and smiled to herself. Her eyes flickered to his and she said, "Not a word of this to Dwalin."

"Absolutely none," he confirmed.

Stella knew that Balin's word was as good as a promise. Assuredly, when Balin drifted to his brother's side after everyone reunited again, neither of them spoke or even looked in Stella's direction.

Zo remained at her side as the trek through the plains continued. He leaned down and muttered, "Where are we going now?"

"Beorn's," she answered just as quietly. Upon noticing his furrowed brow, she held up on hand like it was a clawed paw and playfully growled before clarifying, "The bear-dude."

"Ah," his expression cleared as he nodded once. His voice deepened as he quoted, "Only you can prevent wildfires."

Stella laughed loudly, causing everyone to turn around to look at her. She acknowledged with ease the swooping sensation in her gut when she met Bofur's gleaming eye as he smiled widely at her joy. After he turned around, she continued to watch his back. When she caught herself moving her gaze lower down his back, she straightened up with a small smile and focused her stare on another dark-haired dwarf.

"Zo," she lightly slapped her friend on his chest with the back of her hand. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"Depends on what you're seeing."

"That," she gestured in front of her.

He turned his impassive face to gaze upon what captured Stella's attention. Thorin typically walked with Dwalin or Gandalf and stood tall with his shoulders back and neck long. However, in that moment, Thorin stood not with a dwarf or a wizard at his side, but with a hobbit. Compared to everyone else, they were speaking very softly and there was an air about them that screamed privacy. Every so often, their arms would brush together but neither of them made the move to pull away.

Thorin's strict posture relaxed as he angled himself towards Bilbo. In his traveling clothes, he did not look majestic. Yet even as he towered over Bilbo, who did not quite reach his shoulder, he still exuded a small sense of regality.

What was most idyllic about the two was the ever so subtle way Bilbo would tilt his head to the side so he could offer Thorin the sweetest smile. Thorin, in return, would give Bilbo a smile Stella had seen him only ever give to his nephews. It had been weeks since Stella had seen Thorin look so content but in a single moment alone with Bilbo, he almost seemed carefree.

"Well, would you look at that," Zo murmured with the slightest upward curve of the corner of his mouth.

"Please say it out loud. I can't be the only thinking it," Stella said breathlessly as she dragged him down by hooking a thin arm around his neck. "I need to hear you actually say it."

"It looks like me and you aren't the only ones in this group that are willing to put a dick in our mouths," he dryly stated. "Or other places."

"Ew, Lorenzo!" she shoved him away.

"That was a bit sudden between them, wasn't it? But I wonder if it's even allowed."

"What's allowed?" Fili and Kili chorused as they crowded around them both.

"Just the boys who can tell me what I so desperately need to know," Stella welcomed them.

"Tell us, dear Lady, and we shall endeavor to do our utmost to assist you," Fili held her hand and bowed over it.

"Okay, first," Zo spoke up as Stella scoffed humorously at Fili's antics, "can two males be in a relationship in the Dwarf culture or nah?"

"Well, it's not common but it's not rare either," Kili shrugged.

"What about different races?" Stella blurted out. "Is that allowed? Can a Dwarf be with somebody who's not?"

"Thinkin' on you and one of our lovely Company, my Lady?" Fili waggled his eyebrows as he leaned in closer into her space.

"Get those eyebrows and that huge nose away from me," Stella mockingly glared but still pinched his nose for good measure.

Fili sniffed loudly before gently pressing his fingers to his nose. "You think it's huge?" he sounded strangely touched.

Stella and Zo threw him matching disbelieving stares before turning to look at Kili. He was no help, for he also looked warmed and slightly proud.

"Focus," Zo snapped his fingers in Fili's face. "Cross-cultural relationships?"

The brothers looked at each other with their heads tilted the same way before turning about to look around them. Kili brightened up at the sight ahead of them before wandering off to drag a shocked Ori away from a sputtering Dori back to their group.

"Say, Ori," Fili and Kili spoke in unison as they crowded in the smaller dwarf around the shoulders, "has there ever been a case of cross-racial Ones?"

"Only one that I've read about," Ori answered as he casually pushed the brothers away from him.

Fili recovered from his stumble first to ask incredulously, "Really?"

"Wait. Pause," Zo held up a hand and Fili, Kili, and Ori looked over at him. "What the hell are you talking about 'Ones' and why does it sound capitalized?"

"Our One is the single person in all the lands who was made just for us," Ori explained with a soft smile as he hugged his journal to his chest.

"Just one?" Stella asked. "Sounds…lonely."

"It can be, I suppose," Fili nodded. "Dwarrows only love romantically just the once. If we don't find our One or if they don't want us, I guess it could be lonely. But we survive."

"Why wouldn't it work out if you're each other's One?" Zo wondered.

"Sometimes, Dwarrows love their craft more than their One," Fili and Kili shrugged at the same time.

"Craft?" Stella repeated with a wrinkled.

"I think we're about to get off-topic," Zo said as he turned back to Ori. "You said there was one case you've read about?"

"Yes. Their names are lost but from what is established, the relationship was between a Dwarrow-dam and a Man," Ori informed them. "Not much was said except that the courtship ended very quickly."

"Why?" Stella inquired.

"Because they started courting in 1636 and he was from Osgiliath."

In unison, Fili and Kili and said quietly, "Oh."

"'Oh'? Why 'oh'?" Stella's head whipped between the three of them.

Kili almost looked uncomfortable. "That was when the Great Plague hit. More than half the people of Rhovanion were killed and Osgiliath had the highest casualties after that."

"Totally decimated Gondor's population," Fili said grimly with a shake of his head. "Dark times. For a dwarrow-dam to lose her One like that…"

"Not much else is said beyond that," Ori continued softly. "Only that they loved fiercely despite their short time together. He died, she didn't, and their love faded into history."

It was silent between the five of them until Zo tsked and said, "And isn't that a fucking bitch? Love always got to go down like that."

"What do you mean?" Stella peered up at him through narrowed eyes.

"Love is always fucked. Romeo and Juliet. Lancelot and Guinevere. Jack and Rose."

"Zo, all of those couples are fictional. It doesn't apply here."

Lorenzo slowly turned his head to look down at Stella with wide, incredulous eyes. In one move, he turned back and swept his hand around to gesture to the entire Company, making Stella huff out a short laugh.

"Good point," she smiled, making the dwarves with them glance at each other in confusion. "But I don't think I like the idea of having just one great romantic love."

"No?" Fili raised an eyebrow at her.

She shook her head as she thought about it. "I would rather love over and over again than live the rest of my life knowing there's only one out there for me and I might never find them."

"Explains your thing about having a Somebody," Zo nodded.

"Somebody?" Fili and Kili repeated.

"Okay, so my parents always told my siblings and I to try to find our Somebody," Stella explained happily. "A Somebody who you could trust with your heart and who trusted you with theirs. _Nanay_ would say each person had multiple Somebodies and we would love every single one of them differently but still just as strongly as the last. Somewhat similar to Ones, I guess."

"It just seems so wrong to compare human love to Dwarven Ones," Fili interjected.

"Why's that?" Stella inquired.

"Our Ones are for life. Humans are fickle. They change their minds when it suits them," he shrugged.

"And when it doesn't," she pointed out. "Can you honestly say you're the same person you were twenty years ago?"

"Of course I'm not," Fili almost looked glad that he was not.

"So why would somebody who was in love with you then, love you now? Humans can either change with their lovers or against them. That's why we have so many Somebodies. We're searching for our _One_ that changes with us, but that doesn't mean people can't affect us along the way," she insisted.

Fili and Kili glanced at each other as she emphasized the word that all dwarrows carried sacredly with them. There was a moment of contemplative silence as they continued walking.

"I think that makes sense," Ori agreed happily before asking innocently, "Is that why you've been spending so much time with Bofur? Do you think he's your new Somebody?"

"Oi," Stella lightly slapped Ori's shoulder, ignoring the guffaws of Fili and Kili behind her.

"So have you had a Somebody before?" Kili asked through his chuckles.

"Two," she nodded. "One when I was in high school. And then there's dearest Lorenzo here."

"You consider me one of your Somebodies?" Zo blinked a few times as he slowly turned his head to look down at Stella. He looked at her as if she just shook his entire being.

She wrinkled her nose and said, "Of course."

When Zo shifted his eyes away from her, his Adam's apple bobbed down and back up again. Apparently, it wasn't as obvious as Stella thought it was. He reached behind him and pulled her forward. She curled herself around Zo's long arm and rested her head on his bicep with a gentle smile on her face.

"I thought you two weren't courting," Kili eyed them suspiciously.

"We aren't," Zo answered simply as he coaxed Stella to jump on his back so he could carry her.

As she settled her arms around his neck, Stella said, "A Somebody doesn't always have to be romantic. People can completely change your life and you can love them with all your heart and they can simply be a friend. Just like me and Zo."

"Yes, yes," Zo nodded as he hiked her further up his back so he could carry her more comfortably. "_Ti amo_, Stella."

Stella smiled blissfully as she nestled her face closer to her friend's. "_Mahal kita lalo_, Lorenzo."

Fili stopped short as he looked at her. "What did you say?"

"_Mahal kita lalo_," Stella repeated. "Why?"

"It's just…" he shrugged as he struggled to find his words. "It means something completely different to you, I'm sure, but to us, Mahal is our Maker."

"Maker?" she repeated. "You mean, he's a god that created all people. Is that right?"

"No," Fili's lips quirked up in amusement. "Mahal is the sole creator of all dwarrows. He made us and we love him for it."

"Hmm. Well, _mahal_ means 'expensive' in Tagalog. Love is dear to us all so it must have high-value. Thus, _mahal kita_. 'I love you,'" Stella explained, ending with a smile.

"I suppose if you can have Mahal in your lives, too…" Kili struggled with his own thoughts. "Well, I guess Men can't be all that bad."

Considering the fact that the only human Stella and Zo had been in contact with since they had arrived was a ten-year-old boy, Kili's ineloquent words meant a lot. When did the approval of dwarves begin to mean so much to either of them? They both knew that the dwarves didn't dislike them but that didn't necessarily mean that the dwarves liked them either. Kili's added little nod burst a bubble of relief in Stella's chest. It was only the brief tightening of Lorenzo's hands on her thighs that let her know that he felt the same.

* * *

**Italian translations:**  
Ti amo – I love you

**Tagalog translations:**  
Mahal kita lalo – I love you more  
Nanay – Mom  
Tatay – Dad

1) Sorry about the wait but a future chapter was giving me so much trouble and I forgot to update until I finished it.  
2) Okay, honestly, what is it about Middle Earth and the lack of handrails?  
3) I am Bagginshield trash and I'm not even embarrassed about it.  
4) Lorenzo is pansexual, if it's not obvious by now.  
5) The cross-racial couple Ori talks about is of my own making but the Great Plague is all Tolkien.  
6) I hope the part where Zo gestures incredulously to the Company when Stella talks about fictional characters makes you laugh as much as it made me laugh.  
7) I really thought I would get to Beorn by this chapter but Stella said no.


	13. Chapter 13

Stella could say she missed a lot of things from home besides her family and friends. She never realized how reliant she was on modern inventions, even when she totally unplugged from technology as much as she could when she went camping. She could think of so many things that would be useful: tents, sleeping bags, bug repellent, compasses, lanterns, thermoses, sunscreen, toothpaste, rain coats that actually worked…

But what she found she missed immensely was advanced transportation. It irritated her to no end that she immediately thought how useful a bus would be. The stupid bus, which got her and Zo in Middle Earth in the first place, would have made the trek so much easier. Even a bike would be better than all the walking they did.

There would be days where it felt like they walked for hundreds of miles but whenever Stella glanced back from her spot in the evening to see how far they traveled, she could still see where they started out that morning. It was becoming difficult to stay encouraged about the journey when it felt like they were barely making any progress at all.

She imagined that it would take only a few hours to reach Beorn's house but as day turned to night, she knew it would not be so. She had already knew early on how long the journey will be but it was seriously bringing her down every time she realized the reality of it. Despite the enjoyable talks she had with everyone earlier in the day, the long walk only taxed her further along with her still throbbing head and lack of decent sleep.

Stella tried not to pout as she sat in the dirt next to Bilbo as everyone bustled around them. Zo lounged behind her with one hand casually flicking at her right arm every now and then. She felt a little guilty every time Bombur glanced her way as he cooked dinner. She usually pitched in with dinner, even though she was barely any help at all, but she just wasn't feeling it that night. She didn't like pouting but her irritation was catching up with her. With every flick on her arm, Lorenzo only made it worse but she could not spew out the words to tell him to stop.

Yet all the irritation just trickled up to the base of her throat and evaporated into nothing when Bofur approached them as he expertly balanced four bowls of soup in his hands. Her jaw unclenched and her lips twitched up into an almost-smile as she thanked him and took a bowl from his hands.

She stirred the soup absentmindedly as Bofur left to sit with his brother and cousin. She raised the spoon and let the soup drop back into the bowl over and over.

"Will you stop playing and eat already?" Zo said after sipping straight from the bowl. "Lord knows you need to."

She could feel the irritation enter through her navel and stir up into her veins. She narrowed her eyes at her friend. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're too skinny, you need to eat more," Zo said like it was obvious.

"I can't help my body type," she said through a clenched jaw.

"I'm just saying," he shrugged, "you look anorexic."

"Oh, well, that makes me feel great, thanks," she said sarcastically.

"Geez, calm down," he rolled his eyes.

Stella's eye twitched before she inhaled through her nose and turned away from him. Bilbo's head twisted back and forth to stare at each of them like it was a game he dared not to interrupt. She could hear Lorenzo tapping at his bowl before he shifted closer to her.

"Stella," he said but she ignored him. "Stella, come on."

She obstinately turned her head the other way, making Lorenzo scoff. Feeling sick from the sizzling anger in her chest, she unfolded her legs and stood up.

As she began to walk from him, she could hear him say, "She's always like this. God forbid you do anything that upsets her because she'll just pretend you don't exist until you bend over ass backwards to make her feel better."

She whirled around and snapped at a startled Bilbo, "And God forbid Lorenzo actually apologizes for something. Don't expect him to say sorry for hurting your feelings because he'll just twist it around like you're at fault for being sensitive."

"You _are_ being sensitive," Lorenzo shook his head with a sardonic laugh. "Okay, fine. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"But you did," she pointed out.

"But I didn't mean to," he repeated again.

She tilted her head back with a groan. "But you did! An apology that blames another person isn't an apology at all."

"But I said I'm sorry," Lorenzo's eyes flickered to everyone else before hers.

"But you didn't mean it; you're only saying it because you know I want you to."

As Lorenzo leaned back onto his elbow with another shake of his head, Stella knew she would not be receiving any kindness from him that night. She straightened her back and her resolve and simply walked away from him. She settled in her place in the circle that made up Bofur, Bombur, Bifur, Dori, Nori, and Ori.

"Don't you think you were a little harsh on the lad?" Dori asked softly. "We're all a little tired and it's putting us all on edge."

Her eyes glared at him from under her brows. "So exhaustion is just supposed to suddenly excuse his actions?"

"I thought he was only making a joke," Nori said.

"A joke that wasn't funny," she tried not to spit out the words. "He didn't even try to say he was sorry like he meant it."

Apparently, however, she failed because Nori opted to barely raise his brows and look away from her. Stella closed her eyes and breathed in deeply through her nose. As she slowly exhaled, she let the tension drain out from her limbs.

"I'm sorry," she said. She looked Dori and then Nori in the eyes as she said, "I let my frustration take over and I took out on you both when you didn't deserve it. I'm sorry that I did that and I will try not to do it again."

"It's alright, lass," Dori smiled at her. "It happens to everyone."

"Yeah, it ain't a big deal," Nori continued to sip at his bowl, the same as Lorenzo did.

It was quiet for a moment before Bombur tentatively asked, "Are you going to apologize to Mister Marchesi?"

"No," she said stubbornly. "I would if he didn't tell me to calm down."

"What's so bad 'bout being told to calm down a bit?" Nori asked.

"I don't like being told to calm down when I'm already calm," Stella explained. "If anything, all it does is immediately make me not calm. Anyway, I'll apologize when he does."

"Well, that seems a bit – " Dori started to say.

"Ah, shut up, Dori, you don't like being told to calm down none either," Nori interrupted.

Before his brothers could start a new fight in the camp, Ori shuffled on his bottom closer to her. "Is there anything we can do to make you feel better, Miss Stella?"

"I don't think so, Ori," she sighed dejectedly. "I just feel so horrible lately. I can't stand it. It's almost as if…"

"As if?" he prompted.

She suddenly slapped a hand to her forehead, almost knocking over the bowl of soup that was balanced on her knee. "I haven't charged my stones since I got here. Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"Stones need to be charged?" Dori asked slowly and uncertainly.

"Mine do," Stella insisted as she took the necklace off from her neck. She inspected it sadly, noting the miserable state of her malachite bead, before carefully bundling the chain in her fist. "This isn't the right place to charge them."

"No?" Bombur looked just as uncertain.

"I'll be right back," she said as cheerfully as she could as she scrambled up from the dirt. "Negative energy isn't my thing. I need to meditate."

Bifur offered her a confused wave as she separated herself from the rest of the Company. At Dwalin's grumbled warning, she made sure to stay in his line of sight but far enough away so she could not be bothered by their noise.

"Okay, okay, no more bad thoughts," she spoke softly to herself as she shook out her arms and closed her eyes. "This would be so much easier with Telma."

As much as she loved her stones, Stella never could put much effort in keeping up the charging and cleansing of her stones like her younger sister did. Stella wholeheartedly believed gemstones helped her be a better person but Telma took it to a completely new level. Telma was often the one reminding her family to charge their stones or encouraging them to find stones beyond their necklaces to heal themselves. Over the years, Stella grew accustomed to charging her stones by herself but it always seemed far more effective whenever Telma helped her. There was just something bright about her little sister's spirit that made her stones feel so much more powerful.

It was unfortunate that the majority of her stones would have to wait. But Stella did not want her stones halfheartedly charged when she was not feeling her best. It would be better if she could find a place where her stones could rest.

On the bright side, the stone she could easily recharge was the stone she needed the most in that moment. Keeping Telma's prior instructions in mind, Stella rubbed the black tourmaline stone between her palms as she breathed in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth. The longer she held the stone in her hands, the more she felt the anger pull out from her navel. The tension eased in her shoulders and spine until all that was left was a drained feeling.

When she opened her eyes again, Stella frowned down at the black stone in her palm. She didn't feel as horrible as she did earlier but her tourmaline stone never left her feeling so drained before. With a dissatisfied sigh, Stella curled the necklace back in her hand and resumed her meditating position.

It was only after the chill of the night nipped at her skin that Stella dragged herself back into the camp. She stubbornly made sure that she did not look at Lorenzo, even though she was no longer upset with him, as she grabbed her pack and made her way back to her seat.

"Feel better?" Bilbo, who had moved to sit by Ori, asked her.

"Better than I was," she acknowledged as she began to spread out her sleeping roll.

"But not what you want to be?" Ori correctly guessed.

She nodded glumly. "I wanted to read you all another story but I'm not up to it tonight."

"Oi," Nori lowered his brows to stare at Stella in exasperation. "You brought that book of yours but you couldn't be bothered to grab the rest of our things?"

Stella wrinkled her nose at him. "Would you like to go back to that stupid mountain and have a go? You can grab all your weird stuff and totally skip over what everyone else wants."

"I'd probably grab better things than you did," he raised his large nose in the air.

Despite the narrowing of her eyes, Stella felt a vague sense of amusement tickling inside her stomach. "I grabbed your stupid poison darts, didn't I?"

"Details," Nori waved a hand dismissively.

"Ori, remind me to throw a large rock at your brother later," Stella said monotonously but not without a twinkling light in her eyes.

"I'll write it down," Ori nodded as he continued scanning his journal.

"Ori!" Nori looked at his younger brother, scandalized.

At the sight of his betrayed expression, Stella didn't bother trying to hide her snickers. The hollowness in her chest had yet to be filled but it was easier to ignore the longer she laughed. She absently squeezed and rubbed at her stomach, as if she was sucking poison from a wound, as her laugh blended in with the rest of the conversation in the camp.

When Nori's and Stella's friendly bickering was shut down by fussing Dori, Stella raised two fingers to her eyes before pointing at Nori with a mocking glare. He rolled his eyes theatrically and settled down in his seat to watch over the interactions of everybody else.

Shifting her gaze from Ori, who was still writing in his journal, and Bilbo, who was beginning to doze in his bedroll, Stella decided to scoot a little closer to Bofur. Her nose twitched as she settled onto her side and rested her head in her palm.

Stella watched Bofur carefully as he carved away at the block of wood in his hands. He and Bifur were constantly carving, Stella realized. Ever since they left Rivendell, they would be whittling at pieces of wood whenever the Company gathered around the fire for dinner.

Sometimes the wood wasn't right. It would crack harshly down the middle and they would shrug it off before settling down. Occasionally, they would finish but Stella never knew what they would do with the end result.

Bifur and Bofur never showed them off. She couldn't even say exactly what they carved or if they gave them away, kept them, or left them behind.

Bofur remained incredibly focused on his task. He hummed softly to himself but he was never distracted. He meticulously shaved off bit by bit, freeing whatever form he saw in the wood that Stella could not see no matter how hard she tried.

He never smiled when he carved. His smile was what immediately drew Stella to Bofur but she found that she didn't miss it when she watched him carve. Not when she was so focused on his hands. She never realized how much she liked his hands.

His hands weren't like David's. David's hands were soft and clean and sensitive. Stella often found joy in running her fingernails down his palm just to see him shiver.

His hands weren't like Marco's either. Marco had short fingers with wide palms that completely engulfed Stella's hands. Marco's palms were always sweaty and he would always apologize for it but she never minded.

But Bofur's hands were different. His thick wrists led down to calloused palms and fingers. His fingers were long but they weren't thin like Lorenzo's. Stella could see the dirt underneath his nails but it didn't bother her like all the car oil under Marco's nails did. Whenever Bofur adjusted the carving knife in his hand, Stella's eyes immediately hooked onto his shifting knuckles that made the veins on the back of his hands stand out. That was probably her favorite part of his hands. Watching his hands move was like watching a dance.

They were strong, weathered hands. She knew what Bofur's hands were capable of. He could kill an orc just as easily as he could gently push a strand of hair out of Stella's face with those hands.

"If you stare any harder, I might blush," Bofur murmured as he kept on carving.

Stella turned to lie on her stomach and leaned her head on her folded arms. "Well, go on then," she replied impishly. "Let me see those rosy cheeks."

He chuckled to himself but said nothing else. There was laughing behind her but Stella didn't bother turning around when she heard the familiar sound of Kili tackling Fili to the ground. She watched Bofur for a few more moments before speaking up again.

"Can I have that?" she asked. "When you're done."

Bofur's knife faltered for a moment, making Stella raise her gaze from Bofur's hands to his face. He still wasn't smiling but it didn't seem like a bad thing. She wasn't entirely sure what she was seeing in his expression, if she were to be quite honest with herself.

"Be careful what you ask for, Stella, my girl," he continued carving and her eyes went back down to watch him at his task. "If I were to give you something I made with my own hands, others may think we're courting."

"That wouldn't be a bad thing," she replied absently.

She didn't think on what she said before she said it. But as she raised her gaze again to meet Bofur's dark eyes that mirrored the color of the forest when the light from the fire hit them just right, Stella knew she would have said it anyway.

"No?" he asked casually yet carefully.

She bit down on her lip as she smiled. It only grew wider when she noticed his eyes flicker down to her mouth and quickly back up to her eyes. She answered certainly, "No."

His mouth twitched up as he began carving at the wood again. "So how does one go about courtship where you're from?"

"Depends on the couple, really," she shrugged as best as she could from her position. "Sometimes the woman asks, sometimes the man. Sometimes they wait a long time, sometimes they ask immediately. Sometimes they don't ask at all. They just…go."

He nodded and hummed. "Dwarrow-dams always do the asking. They'll ask the dwarrow and his elder for permission."

"And then?"

"And then they meet in a private yet chaperoned meeting in which they discuss their desires for the future. If both parties agree, the courtship officially commences. Both will don courtship braids, exchange gifts made by hand, and be permitted to share touch."

"Share touch?" Stella perked up.

"Aye," Bofur nodded easily, though his shoulders slightly tensed up. "Dwarrows are rather tactile but only through quick or rough motions. Lingering touches suggest intimacy, which is only reserved for families and couples."

Stella snorted before curling up into a ball and hiding her laughing face in her hands. Her cheeks had to be as red as Bilbo's velvet coat, she just knew it. "_Oh_. That explains why Dori is always giving us those looks."

"Yes, it would." She could hear the grin in Bofur's voice.

Her face popped up from behind her hands before she indignantly poked at his leg, making him jump in surprise. "That's why you've been all sneaky-sneaky when we hug, you sneaking sneak."

"Yes, it would," he nodded unashamedly.

Stella immediately shut her mouth before she could say anything else after his admission. Nobody ever told her if she ever blushed but if she did, she had to be in that moment. She certainly felt flushed, especially as Bofur's smile returned with a brilliance that rivaled the fire behind her and inside her.

Recognizing her uncertainty of how to continue, Bofur asked, "What do your people do after starting a courtship?"

She settled back into her bedroll as she said, "Anything they want, really. They can go slow or fast. They can be alone together, live together, give gifts, or whatever. There aren't any set rules. Although it is generally questioned if a couple gets married really quickly but, hey, that's their business."

"No rules," Bofur mumbled under his breath as he stared at the figurine in his hand with fierce intensity. "Then how do you know if they're serious or not?"

"People can be rather transparent in what they want. And if they don't," her words faded away with her focus, "well, it's called heartbreak for a reason."

He didn't look up at her and she didn't look at him either. He kept whittling and she lied back down. Neither of them moved any closer and neither of them had any more to say on the subject.

* * *

**A/N:** Happy birthday to me! I'll join the hobbit tradition of handing out gifts on birthdays and gift you all with a new chapter (:

I'm not as heavy of a believer in gemstones as Stella and her family is so if anybody has any fun facts about gemstones (particularly Stella's, which are malachite, black tourmaline, lapis lazuli, sunstone, moonstone), please let me know. Thanks in advance (:

I've forgotten to mention for the past few chapters, but I do have a tumblr if anybody is interested. My Tolkien side-blog can be found under the username littlerounddoors.

Also, (how long will this fucking author's note be?), I have edited chapter four, with slight changes to chapters 5 through 9. It was a rather significant change so I would like it if you all would reread it but it's not necessary as I don't think it will be mentioned again in the story. But it does change the relationship between Stella and Dwalin a lot (and Stella's and Thorin's a bit) so if you like their familial interactions, you should check it out.


	14. Chapter 14

The new morning began with the sound of howling wargs. Stella was startled awake from her fitful rest at the noise and immediately scrambled to her feet. She hurriedly shoved her sleeping roll into her back, grateful that she unpacked very little in the night. More than one dwarf had yanked at Stella's arms to pull her away from the campsite. She allowed them to pull her a hefty distance away when she absently patted at her throat. At the feeling of her bare neck, she nearly fainted from how abruptly hollow she felt.

"My necklace," she whimpered so quietly that nobody even heard her. She immediately turned around to run back but was lifted up by her waist by Bifur. "Wait, I have to go back - my necklace!"

"I'm sorry, Miss, but we have to run," Dori held her hand briefly as he helped Bifur tug her along.

"No, no, no! _Nanay_! My necklace," she cried out.

Before Dori could even look apologetic, Lorenzo ripped Stella out of Bifur's grasp and pulled her along. She reared back to fight out of his grip but was stopped short when she caught sight of the delicate gleam of a gold chain around his neck.

Somehow, when she was barely paying attention in the flurry to get away, Zo had found her necklace.

It was difficult to breathe and run when she could barely swallow down the lump in her throat. But she ran as best as she could for as long as she had to. It was only until the breaking sun cast the land in a soft pink light that they were allowed to stop. Stella pressed her face into the cool stone as she listened in to the flurry of conversation behind her.

"Quiet!" Gandalf silenced them harshly. "We have lost them. For now."

"Where are they?" Kili asked absently, looking around him as if the orcs would show up suddenly.

"I can hear them but they are not in my sight," Gloin answered.

"Somebody should be a lookout," Nori suggested.

"Who?" Dori asked his younger brother.

"Somebody small and silent," Nori nodded.

At once, half of the group looked at Bilbo while the rest turned towards Stella. With a resigned nod, Stella shoved her pack off her shoulders and let it fall ungracefully to the floor with a heavy thump before she turned back to the stone path. She only got a few feet away when an arm tugged her back from around her waist.

She hung limply from Zo's arm as he addressed the Company, "She's tired."

"We're all tired, boy," Oin pointed out.

"But I don't see you volunteering to climb up there. You're almost deaf, not blind. You go," Zo nodded his head to the rock pile.

"Oh, shut up, Zo," Stella stumbled out of his grip. "It's too early and we're all tired. I'll go."

"Wait, wait," Bilbo interrupted with his palms up peacefully. "I got more sleep than Stella, I know I did. I'll go."

"Bilbo," she shook her head.

"No, young lady," Bilbo said as he shook a finger at her, making her blink in surprise. He gave everyone a stern glare before he scuttled away.

It was silent after Bilbo made his ascension. Everyone was careful not to look at each other. From the corner of her eye, Stella could see Zo rub the calluses on his fingers.

As she rubbed one of her eyes with a closed fist, Stella mumbled, "Bilbo's more fatherly than he realizes, isn't he?"

"He probably makes the effort for you," Zo said before ruffling her hair roughly. "You're so childish that he thinks you need the father figure to set you straight."

"I'm only childish because you irritate me to the point of immaturity," she shoved him away and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Point proven," he pointed at her pink tongue and scrunched up nose.

She sniffed delicately before looking away from him. Taking a hint, the rest of the Company carefully looked up at Bilbo, who was still peering over the ledge. Zo leaned against the rocks next to Stella, who folded her hands behind her back and stared resolutely down at the ground.

Zo unhooked the gold necklace from his neck and held it out to her. She took it wordlessly. At once, her breath deepened and her lungs felt fuller. The pink light that seemed so deceitful only moments earlier seemed just right. All the pain that settled in her spine and joints burned away. When she realized her necklace was missing, it seemed like she drowned into an abyss that surrounded only her. Having it back in her hands felt like she held the sun. It was burning and infinite and hers.

"Thanks," she managed to get out.

He nodded. He was still rubbing his hands together when he said, "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday."

She peered over at him from the corner of her eyes without moving her head.

"I shouldn't have said anything about your size. And I know you hate it when people tell you to calm down. I'm sorry. I won't say anything like that again."

She bit the inside of her cheek before nodding slowly. "Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry, too."

"For?"

"Yesterday was a bad day and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm sorry for that."

As the dwarves began to whisper harshly up at Bilbo to hurry up, who only ignored them with an angry wave of his hand, Zo slowly tilted until he was completely leaning against her.

"Stella, I…I've been counting. From what you said, we only have four months left," he spoke quietly to her.

She immediately began to shake her head but he just kept going.

"We've been friends for years. You're everything I could want in a partner and I think I'll hate it forever that I couldn't fall in love with you."

"Hey," she turned to face him with a punch to his side. "I couldn't fall for you either. But you're still my Somebody. Forever and always."

"I just, I'm so glad I met you, Stella. If I could believe in Somebodies like you do, you would always be my first."

"Zo," she breathed out as she held her hand out.

He took it with a kiss before he yanked her forward so her face was pressed against his side and his arm was wrapped around her neck. "Four months. I don't want even a second of it spent with you mad at me or crying because of me. All I want is to see you happy."

She impulsively covered her face with her hands. "Ditto, you sap."

"Forget that," he said as he moved around her hands so he could make her squish her face with her own fingertips.

She keened in her throat as he pressed her cheeks so close together that she could barely get the words out. "Won't, won't, won't."

"Delete it from your memory," he said monotonously, though he let out a small laugh before he wiped his face of any emotion to continue speaking. "Forget it. I have a reputation to uphold. Forget it now."

"Nobody here cares about your dumb reputation, you nerd," she smiled as she tried to wave his hands away.

"You do," he smiled back as he wrapped himself around her. "Why else would you be trying so hard to ruin it?"

She laughed under her breath as she settled into his hug. She could never say that hugging Zo felt like coming home but it was close enough. She didn't know how much being angry at him could drain her. Even though her stones weren't charged, each moment hugging him felt like she was being charged herself.

Zo's arms tightened around her when they heard the sound of an echoing roar. When Bilbo silently made his way back, he was immediately crowded by all the dwarves.

"How close is the pack?" Thorin asked.

"Too close," Bilbo said as he stumbled closer. "A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it."

Dwalin stepped up to ask, "Have the Wargs picked up our scent?"

Bilbo panted as he shook his head. "Not yet, but they will; we have another problem."

"Did they see you?" Gandalf asked, making Bilbo spin around to face him. "They saw you!"

"No, that's not it." Bilbo shook his head again.

Gandalf gave a firm nod before smiling as he addressed the dwarves. "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."

His words eliminated the grim air around the Company as they immediately smiled and gave murmurs of appreciation. Bilbo stared at them in exasperation as he looked around them.

"Will you listen? Will you – " he tried to get their attention.

Zo whistled sharply through his teeth, causing everyone to stare at him in bewilderment. "Hey, _stronzi_, listen when somebody is trying to talk to you, yeah?"

"Thank you," Bilbo nodded gratefully at Zo before pointing beyond the ridgeline. "What I was trying to tell you was that there is something else out there."

Everyone glanced at each other in worry. Gandalf's eyes grew concerned as he stared down at Bilbo.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?"

Bilbo started to nod before he stopped short to look at Gandalf curiously. "Yes. But bigger. Much bigger."

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked Gandalf.

"Yep!" Stella stepped forward, making everyone look at her.

Thorin sighed harshly. "Again, Miss Villanueva?"

"Seeing is a funny thing," Stella tried to explain. "It'll go one way. Unless it doesn't. I couldn't advise you to do one thing because what if it went the other way? And then everything would be all messed up."

"Or you could have told us both ways and we could have figured it out from there," Dwalin said pointedly.

"Or I could have told you both ways and then something entirely different could have happened and then I would have no idea whatsoever on how things would work," Stella held her hands up with a shrug.

"Okay, okay!" Zo interrupted as he rubbed his forehead. "Now that _this_ way has happened, what now?"

Stella tilted her head. "We go to the house."

"Whose house?" Balin asked as Thorin asked at the same time, "Do we have any other choice?"

"No, in both situations, you go to the house."

"Then why couldn't you just say that?" Nori groaned.

"Because in one situation, you just meander there and in the other, we run," Stella said. "I was going to tell you this morning but - surprise! - we were woken up quite suddenly and I found out which situation we were in."

"Is this person friend or foe?"

"Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us," Gandalf informed everyone grimly.

"Whose house?" Balin repeated.

Just as Gandalf's eyes flickered over to him, another roar echoed around them.

"His," Stella answered unhelpfully.

"What?" Dori snapped.

"We must go," Gandalf began to usher everyone away.

"Beorn, his name is Beorn," Stella waved a hand as everyone began to move to follow Gandalf. She spoke quickly as they jogged away. "He's an animagus."

"Jesus, Stella, what's with the Harry Potter references?" Zo shook his head.

"What's an animagus?" Ori asked.

"Who's Harry Potter?" Gloin asked.

"Who is Beorn?" Thorin cut everyone off.

"I know not what this animagus is that Stella speaks of," Gandalf stared curiously at her from over his shoulder. "But Beorn is a skin-changer."

"A furrier? A man that calls rabbits conies, when he doesn't turn their skins into squirrels?" Bilbo exclaimed.

"Good gracious heavens, no, no, no, NO!" said Gandalf as everyone stared at the hobbit incredulously. "Don't be a fool, Mr. Baggins, if you can help it; and in the name of all wonder, don't mention the word furrier again as long as you are within a hundred miles of his house."

"Yes, he's a bit sensitive when it comes to animals," Stella confirmed.

Gandalf sputtered, "Sensitive!"

"Wait 'til you see the bees," Stella beamed.

"Miss Villanueva!" Thorin called from the front. "Join me here."

Stella shared a glance with Zo before answering, "Yes, sir."

She easily picked up the pace to jog past Oin, Gloin, Balin, and Dwalin to run alongside Thorin.

"What can you tell me about this Beorn?" he asked immediately.

"He can change into a bear, he's tall, he raises animals, and he gets angry easily," she rattled off. "So you probably shouldn't talk to him."

Thorin threw her a stare that wasn't quite irate but the purse of his mouth told her he didn't like her words.

"Hey, I'm just saying, you have a talent for pissing people off," she explained with her hands up. "It's quite admirable actually."

"Stella!" he interrupted.

"Ha! Got you to say my name," she grinned. "But, seriously, I don't think Beorn cares much for dwarves so I suggest being polite. As well as you can, I guess. Don't want the big, black bear to get you!"

"Where did such a man come from?" Balin huffed from behind Thorin.

"Some say that he is a bear descended from the great and ancient bears of the mountains that lived there before the giants came. Others say that he is a man descended from the first men who lived before Smaug or the other dragons came into this part of the world, and before the goblins came into the hills out of the North," Gandalf explained from the very front. "Now run, lest the goblins come upon us!"

With a tsk from Stella, she kept up her pace next to Thorin. There would be no more conversation from her, as it detracted her attention from her breathing, so she decided to stay beside a person who had no qualms with silence.

She was glad to say that the tensions between her and Thorin had eased remarkably since they spoke before they fell in the goblin caves. When she initially met him, she could not tell if he was the type of dwarf who could admit his faults. But as she watched him as he interacted with the Company, he proved that he was a leader who knew his men and could easily apologize if he knew he was mistaken. He was stubborn; he could be adamant to the point that he would not let others forget when he was wrong. His ability to admit his errors was a great virtue but there were times when Stella wondered if it was also his greatest fault.

The jog was easy enough at first as they ran through forest and plains and back into forests but as time passed into an hour, and then two, and then three, Stella fell behind to the back of the Company. Zo glanced over his shoulder from time to time to make sure she was keeping up but the stitch in her side kept her barely ahead of Bombur.

"Come on, Bom," she kept tugging at his arm to pull him along.

"Dwarrows are very spritely across short distances but this is not a pace I was made for," he panted as he wiped at his sweaty forehead with a dirty cloth.

"None of us were made for this," she agreed. "But we keep going."

Although he allowed to keep pulling him along, Bombur and Stella soon fell some distance behind with only Bofur staying in-between them and the Company so they wouldn't be completely separated. At one point, Bombur slowed down to a dead stop when a bumblebee as large as his head idly flew by.

"What in the world…" he trailed off.

"Now isn't the time for wondering," Stella tugged at him fiercely.

When they both caught back up to the Company, they all froze when the roaring was suddenly closer than ever before.

"Quickly! We are close!" Gandalf shouted.

"Bombur, come!" Thorin ordered and spun Bombur around by his braided beard.

As the roaring continued, Bombur surprised everyone by reversing the roles and tugged Stella along as he quickly passed everyone. As they ran through the edge of the forest, they spied a curious belt of ancient oaks that were so tall and thick that they could not see anything that lied behind it. Bombur pulled Stella towards it and lightly pushed her through a small gap that opened up to a brightly colored garden. In the middle of the garden was a large house with a door that was firmly shut.

Bombur threw himself against the door but it did not open. Before Stella could reach the latch, she was crushed against the wood by the rushing dwarves behind her.

"Off!" she yelled. "Get off!"

They receded enough that she quickly lifted up the latch and opened the door, just for most of the dwarves to push past her to rush inside. Gandalf was the last to come inside and stood far enough from the door that he was able to turn around to see Beorn come crashing through the edge of the forest.

With shooing hands, Stella gestured for Dwalin and Zo to close the two large wooden doors. Beorn had barely passed through the gap between the oak trees but the doors were already shut and Stella had already jumped up to lower the latch back down. She flinched as she heard the large bang of a huge bear crashing into the doors but they never opened.

Beorn angrily clawed at the doors but with a huff, he turned and left. Ori, who was eagerly peering through the crack between the doors, was peeled away by Dori while everyone else began to meander throughout the house.

"We've traveled for quite some time today," Gandalf spoke as he settled down at a table that was remarkably huge. "Rest. You all should be safe here."

"Should be?" Zo grimly stated more than asked.

Gandalf cast Zo an exasperated glance but Zo couldn't be bothered to notice.

Stella tugged at the collar of her tunic with a grimace as she turned around and slowly surveyed her surroundings. The house was as large as the Hall of Fire in Rivendell, maybe even larger. Unlike Rivendell's hall, which was made entirely of cool white stone, Beorn's hall was constructed entirely of wood. In the middle of the floor was a long pit that blazed with fire, even though it was still extremely warm outside. The smoke from the fire rose up to the ceiling that was black from ash and escaped from the opening in the roof. No other light entered in the hall.

Stella stepped forward and rested her hand on a large carved pillar and watched as everyone explored the hall. On one side of the hall, there were more tables that held multiple vases and bowls. There was only one chair in the entire hall and it was clearly made for a man taller than most. The chair had two carved bears that seemed to glare viciously from either side. Atop the chair was a large blanket that looked especially cozy. Any other seating was the long benches that leaned against the tables. There were a few scrolls that lied about on the tables but anybody who tried to peek into them was met with a stern glance from Gandalf and Thorin.

As Stella walked through to the opposite end of the hall, she noticed the spare beds resting on the other side. Most were human-sized but there were a few smaller mattresses of straw and woolen blankets. Barely giving them a second glance, Stella moved out of the second door to go outside.

The veranda was large and propped up by full tree trunks strung together. Across the floor were more tables and benches that made Stella wonder exactly how many visitors Beorn had and how often that he had so many seating and spare beds. She ran her fingertips idly across a bench surface as she stepped closer to the edge of the veranda.

Flowers, some familiar and many not, surrounded the edge of the porch and continued across the grounds. She stepped off the stairs of the veranda and made her way down the garden path. With one arm folded behind her back so she could grasp her other arm, Stella slowly continued walking. She stopped now and then to gaze contentedly down at all the flowers. She used to think she was a lover a nature when she was back home but she never quite found peace among flowers until she met Bilbo.

Just when she considered turning back so she could convince her favorite hobbit to join her, her thoughts were interrupted by a low growl.

There, behind her, was a large, scarred black bear.

Not at all sure about how to handle the situation, Stella gulped and remained still. The bear huffed and scratched at the ground. When she still didn't move, it began to pace back and forth, although it kept its gaze on her. She inhaled sharply when the bear stood up on its hind legs but didn't move when the bear took a few stumbled steps backwards instead of towards her. It gave a low groan as it stumbled back a few more steps and suddenly morphed into a man.

Stella's eyes were wide as she took in the panting figure that fell to his knees. He breathed heavily for a moment before she was pinned down by his fierce, golden eyes. She never blinked as he stood tall. His fists were clenched and he never looked away from her. Her eyes brows rose slightly and she slightly pursed her lips in her effort to not look down. After all, he was very tall and very naked.

"Well! A little owl."

"Well!" Stella said in the same tone as her eyes surveyed him, but not too closely. His voice was deep and his breath was rumbling in his chest but it was not unpleasant to listen to. He had a thick, black beard and hair, with some dark hair spattering across his chest. His arms were bare and huge with muscles. She dared not look down further past his abs. "A huge bear."

He tilted his head and his eyes lit up with amusement. "It's not every day I receive visitors. What do you want?"

"Shelter would be nice," she shrugged one shoulder. "We're running from orcs."

"And why would orcs be chasing a little owl like yourself?" he asked as he took a pair of trousers from the mouth of dog that trotted up to him and stood on its hind legs to tap him on the thigh with a short paw.

Stella kept her curious eyes on the dog as she spoke, "Oh, we were just…making our way…down the mountains…"

After Beorn pulled the pants up and tied them tighter with a piece of rope, he looked between the dog and Stella.

"Hello, doggy," Stella waved at the animal.

The dog barked quietly and stuck its tongue out as it stood up again on its hind legs so it could wave one of its front legs at her. The smile that was peeking onto Stella's face quickly broadened into a huge grin.

"Where is your destination that you had to cross the mountains?" Beorn interrupted her moment with the intelligent canine.

"Um, do you want the fantastical version or the straight-forward version?" she twiddled her fingers together.

He made a vague motion with her hand that told her to get on with it.

"Uh," she hesitated before she steeled herself. "Okay, so my friend and I are traveling with a hobbit, thirteen dwarves, and a wizard to go to Erebor. One of the dwarves is Thorin, son of Thrain, and one of the orcs chasing us is Azog, who killed Thorin's grandfather.

"So we were going through the mountains and we were ambushed by goblins. And I'm not entirely sure what happened there because I fell and I was separated and it was super scary and, to be honest, I still have nightmares. So when we got out of the mountains, the orcs and wargs were there and then we were picked up by the Eagles, who left us at the Carrock. But the orcs were there _again_ and I'm wondering what the hell they feed those wargs that they caught up so quickly. And Gandalf led us here and we were hoping you could let us stay here for a day or two and let us rest and gather supplies and then we'll be out of your way," she ended with a sweet smile as she clasped her hands together.

"Not an eloquent owl, I gather," he chuckled to himself.

"Lorenzo is more poetic than I am," Stella shook her head. "He could tell you the story better but the ending is already ruined for you."

"You still haven't answered what _you_ are doing with those…dwarves," he sneered with the last word.

"It was a mixture of Gandalf telling me to and Thorin telling me _not_ to. So, of course, I did."

"Impertinent owl!" Beorn laughed.

She huffed. "Repetitive bear."

"Come, girl," he guided her back down the garden path to the veranda. "Let us see what these dwarves have to say for themselves."

She ran up the few steps so she could be a little taller. "Be nice! I like those dwarves."

"What makes you think I won't be nice?" he asked her with a sly smile.

She said nothing and stubbornly continued to stare up at him.

After another moment of silence, he released a booming laugh. "I will be as nice as they deserve. This I swear to you. Somebody must have informed you of my nature, little owl, for I believe you know me better than a stranger should."

Stella stretched out her fingers before tapping them on her thighs a few times. "I just know things; that's all."

With no more that needed to be said, she followed Beorn into his hall and stood at his side as he surveyed the room. Most of the dwarves immediately stood up from their seats and mumbled their At Your Service's with a bow but Beorn only had eyes for the figure at the other end of the hall.

Stella smiled as she watched Zo sit contentedly amongst the animals. A dog's leg twitched happily as Zo ran his long fingers across its belly with one hand and scratched the ears of another dog's with his other hand. A sheep sat quietly on Zo's other side and a small horse rested behind him and nudged Zo's head with its nose. It was a scene out of a Disney cartoon but it was typical Zo. What a lucky nerd.

Zo didn't bother looking up from the dogs he was petting when Beorn approached and squatted in front of him.

"My friends do not usually trust strangers so easily," Beorn spoke gently as he allowed the sheep to nudge its head against his hand. "You have a gift that is disappointedly lacking amongst others of your kind."

"What can I say? I'm a gem," Zo flipped his hair out of his face before winking at Stella. "Right, Stell?"

"A modest gem," she nodded. "A wee gem."

"Fuck you, I'm the biggest and brightest gem of them all."

"Dull," she immediately countered. "A dull, tiny gem. A rock, really. A pebble under a bush."

Zo turned his head to address the panting dog next to him. "Bite her. She doesn't appreciate me like you do."

"I like you two!" Beorn interrupted their small banter with another booming laugh and a resounding slap to his knee. "You are free to stay as long as you need, friends, and your companions with you!"

Stella perked up and beamed brightly at Gandalf and Thorin. Both only had a shake of the head to offer her but whether they liked her or not, neither of them could say they befriended a skin-changer like she did.

* * *

**Italian translations:**  
Stronzi – assholes

**Tagalog translations:**  
Nanay – mom

**A/N:** Let it be known that Lorenzo Marchesi is a Disney princess. That is all.


	15. Chapter 15

After a solemn but educating lunch with Beorn that consisted of biscuits and honey with milk and was served by dogs and sheep, a few members of the Company elected to take a well-deserved nap. Despite the throbbing in her head from the lack of sleep, Stella never could fall asleep in the middle of the day. Bilbo confessed to be the same and Zo thrived on no sleep so, together, they joined Beorn in his garden. Stella flitted around between the flowers, Zo relaxed under a tree with a litter of puppies in his lap, and Bilbo stood in wonder at all the wildlife wandering about.

"If these bees stung me, I would swell to the size of myself!" he said in astonishment.

"Worry not, little bunny," Beorn said as he swung an axe on a block to cut his firewood. "My honeybees will not bother you if you do not bother them."

Bilbo huffed at the new nickname but said nothing. Stella had a feeling she would hear about it later but she personally didn't mind her own moniker. She had been called many things when she was growing up. The nicest thing anybody called her was "something vaguely bizarre-looking" but she had never been called an owl before. She knew she looked strange to some people. When she was in school, she was so glad that she never needed glasses because she dreaded what she would have been called if she had them with her large eyes. If "little owl" was the worst – or best – Beorn could call Stella, then he was alright in her opinion.

When she wondered over to Zo, she exploded into laughter when she found him lying down on his back, expressionless, as all the puppies climbed over his entire body.

"I have a problem," he said.

"Zo, that is the opposite of a problem," she disagreed happily as she watched him.

"They're having fun and I have to piss," he clarified. "This is definitely a problem."

"Poor you," she cooed before whistling and patting her knees welcomingly. "Come here, babies."

All the puppies yipped and dashed towards her. Zo shot up and darted into the trees to relieve himself. Stella lowered down to the ground and allowed the puppies to lick at her face and nip at her fingers. Many would jump when she leaned down to leave kisses on the tops of their tiny noses.

"You are good with them," Bilbo remarked as he stood about with his arms folded behind his head.

"I always wanted a pet but my mom said my siblings and I weren't responsible enough to take care of one," she confessed. "I thought I could have one when I was older but I just wasn't home enough to properly love an animal."

She pet an enthusiastic pup slowly, which wasn't what the dog wanted so it soon left her. She watched it and sighed longingly, "Still would be nice though."

"Oh, well," Bilbo stuttered, "you're young yet. You may still have one."

"Not any time soon," she shook her head. "Still got this quest, still got to find a home, still got to… No. I won't have anything for a while."

"Find a home?" Bilbo immediately caught on, making her flinch. "Do you…Stella, do you have nowhere to go after this?"

"Don't worry about it, Bilbs," Stella tried to shrug it off.

"Stella Ann Villanueva," he said sternly with his small hands on his hips.

Stella pouted and hid behind a squirming puppy. "I'll never forgive Zo for telling you my full name."

"Stella," he repeated.

"Okay!" she relented. She almost hated how she could never stay stubborn for too long after somebody said her full name like that. "You know I can't go home. I thought it was kind of obvious after people found out that I won't have anywhere to go after this."

He hesitated for a moment before he marched up behind her and flicked her on her ear. She blinked up in surprise at him and pressed her fingertips to where he flicked her. It didn't hurt but she was still in wonder at the action.

"Oh, you ridiculous girl!" he scolded her. "Have I not made our friendship clear enough? You always welcome at Bag End, whether on a visit or permanently."

Her gaze softened. "Bilbo."

"Think nothing of it," he waved her touched expression away. "That is what decent friends do."

She reached up to hold his hand and said fondly, "I told Balin you'd say that."

"Whatever were you talking to Balin about me for?" he reached down to push her hair back with his other hand.

"He invited me to live in Erebor and wondered if I would go to the Shire with you instead," she admitted. "I said I wouldn't even need to ask once you found out."

"And you didn't," he smiled. "Will you stay with them?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "Fili and Kili remind me of my friends and Dwalin is just so much like my uncles. It would be nice to be around them."

"Stella," Bilbo started out hesitantly. "Forgive me for my impudence but it seems like you're not seeing everyone clearly."

She pulled away slightly to look up at him properly. "What do you mean?"

"My darling girl, I know you miss your family desperately but sometimes I think by you seeing them in everyone, you're completely forgetting that everyone here is their own person," he told her gently. "Sometimes I fear that you don't see us at all."

Stella swallowed the bitterness in her throat. Is that the impression she was giving? Was he more right than he was wrong? She could admit that many people reminded her of her family but she didn't think that it was blinding her.

And yet…

How often did she start talking to Dwalin and end up talking about her Tito Noah? There were times when she would bicker with Nori and accidentally call him Nola in her head. Ori, whose name was only one letter off from Uri, was so different from her brother but she kept making connections. And Bofur would always be compared to David and Marco.

The last thought made Stella stop cold. She frantically thought about every single time she engaged with Bofur but every memory was tainted by David and Marco.

God, everyone was so different from people from home but she still compared them. What the hell was wrong with her?

"I see _you_," she said meekly. "Does everyone think that?"

"Dwarves may have eyes for stones and gold but I think our particular group is rather lacking when it comes to the emotions of a young lady," he answered delicately.

"I'll do better," she nodded resolutely.

"Oh, I'm not scolding you, Stella," he sighed. "It's entirely alright to miss your family. But don't put them in us. It's not fair to any of us."

Her chin quivered for a moment but she scrunched up her face before anything else could happen. She would do better. Bilbo was right: it really wasn't fair. It was time to stop pushing her family on everyone. She would miss them forever, she knew that, but perhaps it would be better to talk about them rather than internally replacing everyone in the Company with her family.

"Come now, little owl," Beorn's voice came from behind them. "What is the matter?"

"Oh, nothing!" she said airily as she stood up to face him. "Just facing some outstanding realizations. But I do have something to talk to you about, Sir Beorn."

"And what is that?"

"When we leave in two days, we'll need supplies," she answered promptly. "More than you initially planned on giving us."

"Why two days? Why not tomorrow?"

"Because I told you we were chased by orcs and you were planning to go check to see if I wasn't lying to you tonight," she smiled sweetly at him, despite how his expression went from surprised to suspicious. "When you come back, you will give us supplies and ponies to get us to Mirkwood. But we'll need more supplies."

"Oh, you will, will you?" he grinned. "Why?"

"It's a big forest," she said with a shrug. "Like, a huge fucking forest with _things_ in it. We'll need a lot of food and water because we'll run out."

"We will?" Bilbo asked in worry as Beorn asked, "How do you know?"

"Stella is a Seer," Bilbo beamed up at her but she kept her gaze on Beorn.

The skin-changer's eyes narrowed at Bilbo's last word. He stared down at her and she stood without flinching. She tried to ignore how she felt her palms sweat and the clench on her throat tightened.

He stared at her a moment longer but eventually said, "I understand. You will have all the supplies needed. You may even supervise, if you wish."

"Thank you," she nodded gratefully.

"Excellent!" Bilbo beamed. "I'll just tell Thorin, shall I?"

After Bilbo wandered off, Beorn absently scratched at his chin and said, "I have seen many things but Seers seldom, if ever, exist in Men."

She peered up at him to find that he was staring down at her sternly.

"You are not a Seer so you could not possibly know the future."

"And yet I do," she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "It's a mystery, isn't it?"

"How can you know the future?" he sounded genuinely curious.

Stella bent down to pick up a puppy and pet it for a moment before she answered, "Perhaps I read it in a book."

Beorn quickly laid her fears that he would treat her differently because he knew the truth or that he would tell the others to rest. He sat her down for a stern talking to that involved the entire truth, from bus crash to coming across a giant bear. She tried to hint at a few things that would happen in Mirkwood, and even a certain battle, but before she could get very far, he made sure to cut her off.

"It's none of my business to know what happens and to whom," he had said. "I just live here."

Just as she said he would, Beorn quickly left after piling the firewood inside of the hall. Despite knowing where he was going, she didn't bother informing the dwarves even after they asked. They would probably take the news that he was verifying their story with offense. She had enough self-preservation to do everything she could to save herself the complaints that she knew she would have to hear.

Stella felt the weight of the past few days crashing on top of her as she barely nibbled at her honeyed biscuits at dinner. She put off wandering to the side of the hall where the beds rested as long as she could. As everybody trudged their way to their respective piles to rest on, Zo intercepted her. She peered up at him and quickly looked away. She felt more than saw his smile as he rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. He nudged her shoulder as he walked past her to join the whispering Fili and Kili.

Despite her unwillingness to sleep, she all but collapsed when she reached the spot that she decided she was going to share with Bilbo. She and Bofur had not yet had a conversation since she all but admitted her feelings to him. So while she offered him a gentle and tired smile, she did not ignore the beckoning hand of Bilbo and crumpled onto the hay mattress next to the hobbit. It did not take her long to fall asleep hand-in-hand with him, despite her efforts not to.

As she expected, her sleep was riddled with nightmares. Her mind was filled with hazy dreams of glowing eyes and pools of blood. Just as she fell from a great height into a canyon filled with fire, she was roughly shaken awake.

Above her were the weary and concerned faces of Bofur and Dwalin. She tried to ignore her stricken throat and stinging eyes. No matter how much she tried to tell herself that crying wasn't allowed, her body just wasn't listening to her. She let Bofur pull her up and sat silently as he brushed her tears away and kissed her on the forehead. Dwalin sat behind her with one hand on her wrist and the other on the side of her neck.

"Just breathe, Stella," Dwalin pressed his chest to her back. "Breathe in with me. And now breathe out. Nice and slow."

She could feel his breathing against her back but hers came in short bursts in contrast to his. Any time she heard his voice, it would fade out into a small buzzing noise in her ears. She tried to keep eye contact with Bofur but darkness seemed to surround his face until there wasn't any light at all.

"Bo," she mumbled in-between her gasps. "I can't see. I can't see."

Unconsciously, she kicked out her legs and clawed at Dwalin's thighs. He, in turn, clutched her closer to his chest. She fought against his grip and could have screamed at the fear of being smothered to death if she could gather the breath. Her tongue felt thick as she tried to swallow the dryness away. It felt like she was choking to death on her own tongue. She choked and began to dry heave as she still attempted to push all the hands off of her.

"Get off," a soft yet firm voice broke through the buzz. "Off."

Fluttering fingertips brushed away the hands on her arms and the legs that were wrapped around hers were pushed away. Stella was pushed up onto her shaky feet. Light hands barely touched her palms and pushed her arms up above her head and back down.

"Breathe in as your arms go up," the voice instructed as her arms were pushed up, "and out as they go down."

Her breathing exercise had to be interrupted by a few more dry heaves but nothing was ever ejected from her stomach. Gradually, she gained her breath again and the dim light returned to her sight. By the time she felt slightly in control of her body again, she let her arms flop back to her side. The person behind her guided her back to the floor so she could sit comfortably.

There was some muttering around her but all she could focus on was the pattern of the wood that made up the floor. She absently picked at a splinter in the wood until a mug of water was pushed into her hand. Her head bobbed around as she tried to comprehend why the mug was there and where it came from.

A pair of gloved hands grasped the mug in Stella's hand and guided it up towards her mouth. The moment the cool water touched her lips, she automatically opened her mouth to lip the water glide down her parched throat. She spent a few moments longer slowly slipping at the water as she tried to blink her way back into comprehension.

"…know how to do that?" she heard Dwalin's raspy voice ask.

"She ain't the first I've seen to lose her head after what she's gone through," Nori replied. "She won't be last neither."

"I've never seen her like that," Bofur said quietly.

"Trust me, you'll see that again," Nori assured him. "Stella won't ever do good with blood. This'll haunt her for a while."

"Stella," Dwalin tried to catch her attention. "How are you holding up now?"

"Please don't make me sleep again," she whimpered, despite how her heavy eyelids kept drooping.

"What's wrong with sleeping, love?" Bofur whispered from her side.

She shook her head sluggishly. "I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to."

"Didn't mean to what?" Dwalin asked.

She kept shaking her head as she began to roughly wipe her hands on her tunic. "Blood on my hands. I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to."

"The goblin in the caves," Bofur clarified over her head.

"Which goblin?" Dwalin asked further.

"She got separated then, didn't she?" Nori interjected. "Ori was saying she must've killed a goblin but she was right distraught over it."

"Can't fathom why," Dwalin nearly scoffed. "Things like them deserve death."

"Soft things like her will never be comfortable with death," Nori disagreed.

"Bofur," she moaned, causing him to pull her closer. She sighed into the scarf wrapped around his neck. "I'm so tired."

"I know, my girl, I know," he wrapped her in his arm to rock her back and forth.

"Oi," she could hear Dwalin growl.

"Oi yourself," Nori shut him down. "Leave them be."

Their quiet bickering faded away as Nori dragged Dwalin to one side of the hall. Bofur, in the meantime, took advantage of Dwalin's distraction by sweeping Stella into his arms and carrying her away in the other direction.

The cool air brushed her skin and she could feel a large hand brush her hair back as she was surrounded by warmth. Before she knew it, the darkness returned but it was not evil. She sunk back into sleep and dreamt of voices.

* * *

**A/N:** My mother went on a road trip across the state and brought me back a mug. It's covered in California poppies and I immediately thought of Stella. I almost felt like I was betraying her, in a way, when I drank coffee out of it. (Fun fact: Stella abhors coffee but is a huge tea lover. It stems from a universally agreed upon teatime with her family. She misses it greatly but Bilbo and Dori do their best to make up for it when they can.)


	16. Chapter 16

In the morning, all Stella could recall of the previous night was the fear and then the overwhelming sense of safety. Her eyes opened slowly to welcome the oncoming light from the sunrise. She lifted her head to assess her surroundings. Without entirely knowing how she got there, Stella realized that she was on the veranda of Beorn's hall. She blinked lazily as a large butterfly fluttered by and playfully wrinkled her nose when it landed on her face. She stayed as still as she could until it happily wandered away.

A blanket fell from her shoulders as she began to sit up and the mattress under her shifted. She tilted head as she discovered that her mattress was not a mattress at all. Rather, it was Bofur.

The both of them were resting across a large bench Beorn had out on the veranda. The cushions they slept on and the blanket that was over them had to have been brought from inside. Bofur's hat was falling off his head and his braids were a mess. Bits of his long moustache fell over his mouth and flew up into the air with every faint exhale. She could feel one of his legs twitch and the arm he had wrapped around her waist unconsciously tried to pull her down. Feeling rather bold, Stella lied back down on top of the dwarf.

When she was sleeping, one of her legs rested between his but in her consciousness, she found more comfort when she shifted around so she could straddle his waist. As she rested on top of him, she sighed blissfully as she felt his firm torso against hers. She had known from how often they hugged each other that Bofur was fitter than he looked under all his layers, as all the dwarves were, but lying on top of him was completely new sensation.

Stella bit down on her lip as she looked at his. She walked two fingers up his chest and chin to lightly tap at his mouth. She quirked up a smile and she could practically hear her own heartbeat as she stroked across his bottom lip. She was right: his lips were so soft. Quite aware of what she was doing, she began to lean down towards him.

Right when her nose brushed against his, his eyes fluttered open. His eyes focused but he didn't pull away. Stella tilted her head so her lips brushed the corners of his.

"Good morning," he whispered against her mouth.

She pressed herself closer so her arms were on either side of his head and her hair blocked out all light from their face. If she concentrated hard enough, she could feel his heart in sync with hers. She answered just as softly, "Yes, it is."

"Stella," he exhaled. "I was worried about you last night."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "That's never happened to me before."

"I didn't know how to help you," he shook his head. "I hated it. I wanted to help but I couldn't."

"Bofur," she rested a palm on his cheek as she pulled back to look him in the eye. "I haven't slept well since before we climbed up that stupid mountain until you. Trust me. You helped."

"But," he started.

She cut him off with a soft kiss to his nose. She pulled back again to stare at his eyes and down to lips. Before she could do what she really wanted to, she shifted to the side and left a kiss on his cheek. She left another and another until she was repeated leaving kisses on his cheek and down towards his ear.

"Tell me more about courting," she insisted between the kisses. "How does a lady ask for permission? What does she say?"

He stumbled over his words before managing to get out, "S-She asks the dwarrow and his or her family elder to consider allowing her to join their family lines."

"That's it?" she mouthed against his cheek and he nodded quickly. "Who's your elder, Bo?"

Her last question made him tightly grip her waist. Stella could feel his hips shift from underneath her and she resisted the urge to press hers down against his. From beneath the blanket, Bofur pulled her tunic out from where it was tucked into her leggings and pushed his hand up the small of her back. His palm was hot as he pulled her closer to his body and her kisses on his ears became more persistent. She kissed back up to his cheek and her mouth hovered over his.

"Who's your elder, Bofur?" she asked again.

"Oh, the cheek, girl!" he exclaimed softly as he closed his eyes. "Technically, it's my da but for _namh__á__l Uradadu mahimbikh_, it's Bifur."

"Would he say yes?" she inquired. "Will you say yes?"

He opened his eyes again and Stella could not look away even if she wanted to. She had her answer without him ever saying a word. She shivered as he ran a solitary finger up and down her spine. His eyes ran across her face and his other strong hand reached up from under the blankets to grasp a lock of her long hair around his fingers. He twirled the lock around for a few seconds before he buried his hand in the hair to pull her forward by the nape of her neck. He left a soft kiss dangerously close to the corner of her mouth.

She would trade all of her previous adrenaline rushes just so she could always feel the way her heart pounded when he held her close.

They spent some time enjoying each other's company in the awakening light of the morning. She continued pushing the boundaries of his culture by leaving kisses everywhere she could but not quite where she wanted. The returned kisses and stroking fingers on her sides let her know that he didn't mind.

Stella could hear the sound of some bustling from inside the hall so she reluctantly pulled away from Bofur. She remained straddled over him and she watched him as he closed his eyes. She smiled when he grabbed her hand and left a soft kiss to her fingertips.

She lightly scratched the gaps between his fingers with her nails before she interlocked their fingers. In a swift movement, she crawled off of Bofur and pulled him up. After he sat up, he pulled her closer so that she stood between his parted legs. When they stood side-by-side, she was actually an inch or two taller than him. But with him sitting on the tall bench, it raised him a few inches above her. As nice as it was, a part of her liked leaning down to rest her head upon his better.

Stella fixed his hat and said, "I may not have any blood relatives here but maybe Zo can stand in for my father during the private meeting."

His head ducked down so she couldn't see his face. He pressed his mouth to her exposed neck and she sighed again in bliss when she could feel his lips as he asked, "Are you really sure about this?"

She reached behind her to hold his hands in hers and quickly pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Very sure. Extremely sure. Positively sure."

Her favorite smile made a reappearance. "Okay. Let's do this."

He followed behind her when they made their way back inside. Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin were consulting together in one corner, Gloin was reorganizing his pack on the floor, Zo was showing Fili how to play Cat's Cradle by the fireplace, and Bombur was trying to coax Bifur into eating some breakfast. All the others were sleeping and Stella was grateful. As soon as everybody's head turned her way when she walked in, she knew she was guaranteed an audience.

"How do I ask?" she hissed behind her. "What do I say exactly?"

"I'll tell you; just get Bifur's attention," he whispered back.

She shook out her shoulders before she purposefully approached her friend. She tapped Bifur on the shoulder and he stared at her with only a dim expression on his face. She signed slowly as she asked, "Bifur, I want to ask you a question."

His head lightly bobbed and she took it as a nod. She turned her head to Bofur, who immediately whispered something long and guttural. She cast Bifur a cheerful smile before whirling around to Bofur.

"I can't say that!" she tried not to sound panicked. "Will English, Common, whatever be fine?"

Bofur looked apologetic. "It's more formal in Khuzdul but as long as Bifur doesn't mind…"

"He won't," Stella shook her head.

"He won't," Bofur agreed. "Okay, say this…"

She went over what he whispered in her ear a few times before haltingly repeating, "Bifur, I wish for you to consider the union of our families through myself and Bofur."

Multiple things happened at once. Her words immediately captured the attention of Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin with the last of them looking stricken and murderous. Gloin absently dropped a hand axe with a loud clang on the floor. Fili looked stunned with the string stilled twisted in his raised hands. Bifur beamed and Bombur gasped as he squished a honey biscuit to his large chest.

"Mahal bless us! Da will be so happy," Bombur addressed Bofur before quickly turning to nudge Bifur. "I like her. Didn't I say I liked her weeks ago? You better say yes."

Bifur roughly shoved Bombur's hands away while grumbling, "_Nisullukan sabr__ê__ m__á__yfali! Amm__â__ i'rikhi diya_."

He visibly shook his entire body before he hopped off the giant bench he was perched on before he turned to Bofur and asked, "Bofur, _stu izr__ê__l _Stella_kurusikmi barafmâ_?"

Bofur stepped up to her side and took off his hat to nod and say, "_Kun, mahizril 'ala_."

Bifur grinned wildly before sobering up to slightly bow to Stella. All he said to her was, "_Birairnik_."

Before she could ask what that meant, Bifur grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her to him. He angled his head sideways so the axe in his head would not hurt her when he lightly tapped his forehead to hers. She smiled as she wrapped her arms under his to hug him in return.

"So I'm thinking this is good?" she asked to the quiet room.

Bombur, who was the exception to the silence, was positively ecstatic as he bobbed around and exclaimed, "Oh, my goodness, I might have a new sister! Ma's going to lose her mind. We need to celebrate!"

"Keep your pants up, _binuknas_," Gloin interrupted him as he pushed himself off the floor. "Don't forget the formalities before trying to push this relationship off. What about the _yandith_ court?"

"Aye, Bifur will be representing Bofur's father as the Ur Elder, of course" Balin chimed in as he approached. He gave Bombur a speculative glance that the round dwarf brushed away before Balin turned to Stella. "Who will be your family representative?"

Stella bit down on the inside of her cheek and turned to Zo. He was looking at her with an expression even she could not discern. "Zo? Will you?"

He kept his eye on her as he bent his head down so he could hear whatever it was Fili was eagerly whispering to him. He made no move to show what he was thinking or how he was feeling. It was only when he stood up, crossed the hall, and pulled her arm that he expressed even the slightest emotion.

"Pause," he pointed to Bifur before he addressed her. "Let's talk about this."

He dragged her back out to the veranda. She tossed Bofur a quick smile before glaring at Zo's back. When they were outside, he let go of her arm to walk down the stairs and onto the garden path. She folded her arms to grasp her elbows as he paced back and forth with his hands in his curls.

When he finally turned around to face her, he immediately confronted her. "I thought you were going to try to come back with me."

"Zo," she sighed.

"So what are you just giving up?"

"Zo."

"Because it feels like you just don't want to go back anymore."

"Lorenzo," she snapped. "Enough."

"No, not enough," he snapped back. "You said you wanted to come back with me. You _said_. And now you're going to start a fucking relationship with a dwarf, who, need I remind you, is fucking fictional?"

Indignation flared inside her. She didn't need any reminder of how ridiculous her situation was. It was bad enough that she was thrown into a fictional universe for seemingly no reason and nobody could help her. The last thing she needed was Lorenzo's constant reminders that everything was not real, especially when they felt exceptionally real. Who was he to tell her that what she felt for Bofur wasn't real? Lorenzo was just an in-between friend anyway.

That last thought drowned away all her indignation in a flood of guilt and sorrow.

"I want to go back," Stella confirmed as she absently picked at a thread on her sleeve. "But I want to stay, too."

He almost looked disgusted. "Why?"

"Zo, please," she looked away from him with a shake of her head. "Galadriel says I stay. You say I'll go back. Can't I allow myself the privilege of choosing?"

"What is there to choose?" he asked incredulously.

"Him," she answered immediately. "Them. All these places."

When he looked like he still didn't get it, she continued, "Zo, this is a fairytale for me. If I stay, I will miss home and my family for the rest of my life. But if I go, I will miss them and Middle-Earth, too."

"That's why you don't make connections with anybody or anything," he spoke to her like she was a child. "It makes it easier."

"Oh, okay," she said sarcastically. "If it's so easy, why didn't you stay away from Elladan? How about you forget talking to Fili for the rest of the time you're here?"

His nostrils flared and he had to look away from her. She shook her head again. Zo liked to make it seem like he was emotionless, as if that made him tough. She wasn't sure exactly what made him that way. One year, he was obnoxious. Somehow, by the next year, he was a stoic. Sometimes he forgot that she was there to see both. She knew he cared more than he liked to admit.

"Even if it was easier, I wouldn't be happier," she said softly, "I'm going to hurt no matter what I do, Lorenzo. I knew that before I asked Bifur that question."

"But, God, Stella, why?" he kept pulling at his hair. "We're supposed to go home together. We're supposed to go home."

_We will_, was what she automatically wanted to say. She went so far as to open her mouth to say the words but quickly shut it again with a clank of her teeth. She was not in any position to offer any empty promises. Zo was always considerate enough to never give her assurances when there was none to be found. The least she could do was return the favor, no matter how much it hurt.

"There's no promise I will or even could go back," she tried to tell him. "If I can, I want this happiness while it lasts. If I can't, I want to know I have something worth staying for."

"Just..." he trailed off as he looked away. His brows joined together and his jaw clenched in his frustration. "Just please keep thinking about it. Please keep trying."

"I'll think about it," she conceded.

He still wouldn't look at her. With a tut, Stella held out her arms and waited. His chin shifted to the side before he petulantly stomped towards her and buried himself in her embrace. With her on the veranda and him on the ground, she was in the almost bizarre position of being taller than him. She was used to nuzzling her face in his side or letting him fold his arms on her head so he can lean against her. It was not often that they were in a position where she could kiss his curls or he would sigh into her neck. Strange how it was that she and Bofur were in a similar position only minutes before but it felt entirely different.

"If he gets too handsy with you, I'll fucking kill him," he muttered into her neck before he pulled away.

"I think it'll be more the other way around, honey," she smiled as she helped him take the giant step from the floor to the raised porch.

He scoffed as he followed her back into the fall. With a flick to her ear, he scolded, "A little sense of decorum would be nice."

Stella almost laughed until she became aware of the obvious tension in the hall. She was shocked to see Bofur and Bombur openly glaring at an equally glaring Dwalin. Bifur stood between his cousins and ignored Dwalin while he rocked back and forth on his heels. Thorin was standing by with a massaging finger at his temple and a calm Balin at his side. Gloin was watching them all with folded arms and Fili stood in the middle of all parties with tense shoulders, as if he was acting like a mediator.

"What's going on?" Stella asked.

Bofur, Bombur, and Dwalin refused to look away from each other and Fili's eyes were flickering all over the place. With a heavy sigh, Gloin turned to address her.

"Dwalin protests to your _yandith_ with Bofur," he answered simply.

"I'm going to assume this yandith has something to do with courtship," she looked away from Gloin to fold her arms at Dwalin. She tapped the fingers of one hand on her arm and asked him, "Well?"

Dwalin had the nerve to look a little sheepish before he lowered his eyebrows and announced, "You deserve better than a toymaker."

"I deserve what I say I deserve, thank you," she said tersely. "If anything, Bifur and Bombur should be protesting. Doesn't Bofur deserve better than a little human girl without a family he could bond to?"

"Stella girl!" "No!" "_Lu_!" Bofur, Bombur, and Bifur interjected.

At the same time, Dwalin exclaimed, "No family?! I'm your uncle, ain't I, lass?"

Stella's eyes widened and she quickly turned to Balin. He only raised his eyebrows, as if to say, _Are you really so surprised_? She blinked a few times before looking up at the ceiling with a small smile and a flush on her cheeks.

"Okay," she started when she got her overwhelming glee under control. "While I respect your opinions, I still decide. I choose a toymaker."

Despite her calmness, her words still sparked a stare-off that rivaled the one she walked in on. It didn't last long until Dwalin slumped and said, "Fine. But I'm your representative in the _yandith_ court."

"Um, fuck you very much, but we've already established that I am," Zo broke in as he leaned an arm on Stella's head.

"Boy, you don't even know what a _yandith_ is," Dwalin glowered at him.

"Does it look like I give a fuck about a yan-whatever?" Zo's eyes hooded over. "I care about Stella and that should be more than enough."

"If I may," Balin stepped up, "if it is amenable to Bifur, Master Marchesi may also be Lady Stella's representative if Bombur is willing to balance things out and be Bofur's second representative. Do you mind, Bifur?"

At once, everyone turned to look at Bifur. Somehow, in the middle of all the tension, he managed to pull out of nowhere a carved wooden block with wheels on either side. He was sitting on the table bench again and was absently pushing the block back and forth while he ignored the commotion around him.

"Bifur!" Gloin barked to get his attention.

He slowly looked up and lazily blinked at everyone. He took in the few disgruntled expressions with a furrowed brow. Stella waved a hand to capture his eye and signed to him to say yes. Without questioning it, he sharply nodded once with a grunt and went back to pushing the toy around. She smiled in satisfaction and pointedly ignored Thorin's stern stare. She liked to think she saw an amused smirk in her peripheral vision anyway.

"Great!" Bombur beamed. "Let's go outside and talk, then."

Before anybody could acknowledge his words, he had already grabbed a plate of biscuits and was making his way outside. With a heavy put-upon sigh, Zo pushed away from Stella, forcing her to bend her head at the neck, before he followed behind. Dwalin still stood in the hall with his arms crossed. It appeared that he would not be moving until Bofur and Stella were outside.

Almost hastily, Bofur nudged Bifur back down from the bench and guided him to the door. When they were halfway there, he reached out a hand towards Stella but was interrupted by a low growl. Stella childishly stuck her tongue out at Dwalin before she purposefully held Bofur's hand in hers. She could hear Dwalin stomping behind her.

Outside, Bombur and Zo had picked out a shady spot beneath one of the trees. Bombur placed the plate of biscuits on a tree trunk and was munching on one while Zo was spread out and leaning back on his elbows. Bifur and Bofur sat down by Bombur so that Bofur was in the middle while Dwalin moved Stella around so she was across from Bofur. Dwalin sent Zo a not-so-gentle kick to the leg, making her friend scoff, before he straightened up.

Dwalin snapped his fingers at Bifur, who was waving at a giant bumblebee that flew by, with a disgruntled expression. "Now that everyone is paying attention, we can get this over with."

An awkward silence fell over the group.

"This is usually done in Khuzdul," Bombur explained when Stella looked at all of them with her eyebrows raised.

"And with another dwarf," she finished uncomfortably. "Got it."

"Okay, how about this: each of you explains what you wish to receive out of a relationship with each other and we'll proceed from there?" Bombur helpfully offered.

Stella briefly glanced at Dwalin before answering, "Uh, sure. Bofur, you first."

"Why me?" he asked, though it was not accusative as there was a smile on his face.

"Because if you ask me what I want first, all I'll say is you," she shrugged.

"And you say you don't have a way with words," Zo mockingly cooed as he poked her cheek.

She slapped his hand away and pointedly made sure not to look at Bombur's happy expression. From her other side, Dwalin sighed heavily.

"Alright," Bofur thought it over. "I want to know everything about you. So I would appreciate it if you would tell me…five facts about yourself every day."

"Three," Dwalin immediately countered.

"Four," Bombur frowned.

"Two, and only if you tell Stella two about yourself in return," Zo broke in with a rub to his nose.

Bofur's and Stella's head switched back and forth to stare at each person who spoke up. She caught his eye and they both smiled uneasily and sighed. She thought it was a very simple stipulation and she would have been fine with five facts a day. If Dwalin and Zo were prepared to negotiate something like that, she wondered how the rest of the meeting would go.

"Stella, your turn," Dwalin brought her attention back to the point.

"Um," she tapped a finger to her mouth. "I want…"

Her eyes flickered from the lush grass to the top of Bofur's head.

"I want to wear your hat."

His smile broadened. "My girl, you could wear it at any time. All you had to do was ask."

"I'm asking now," she said seriously. "Can I wear it?"

He was already reaching up to take off his hat when Dwalin cut in, "She wears it at least an hour a day without asking."

"She wears it when she asks for an hour," Bombur bartered.

"She wears it when she asks for however long she likes," Bofur said in a song-song voice, making Stella beam.

"Fine, next," Zo droned.

The meeting continued on like that. Every time Stella and Bofur said something, Dwalin or Zo would have to negotiate the stipulations behind it. The entire thing made Stella dizzy. She almost wished that she and Bofur could do what she spoke about earlier, about just going with what felt right. However, she seemed to think that if they did that, they'd have to be together in secret to hide from the very meeting they were in at that moment. As romantic as it might have been, Stella unfortunately lacked a thing called subtlety so she wouldn't be able to hide anything from the Company.

It was a surprising hour or two later when the _yandith_ court finally concluded. It was far more formal than anything Stella could say she had ever been involved in. If she were to compare it to something, it felt like an interview to a very important organization.

"So now that we're all in agreement, does anybody have any concluding words?" Dwalin addressed the group.

"Yeah," everyone turned to look at Zo. He wasn't glaring at Bofur but the glint in his eye was dangerous enough. "I don't care how old you are, dude; if you hurt Stella - intentionally or accidentally, physically or emotionally - I will fucking murder you."

Bombur was the only one who appeared worried. Bofur seemed understanding, Bifur had wandered away at some point, and Dwalin looked approving.

"Thank you, Lorenzo," Stella said simply.

Eager to move things along, Bombur pushed himself off the ground and said, "Well, now that everything is agreed upon, we can get to the fun part."

Bofur helped Stella up while Bombur left to retrieve Bifur again. When they returned, they gathered behind Bofur and Dwalin yanked Zo off the floor so they could stand at Stella's shoulders.

"What you'll be doing now is exchanging braids," Dwalin informed her with a low voice in her ear.

"Not beads?" she tilted her head.

He shook his head. "Braids are for the courtship, beads are for betrothal."

She nodded once before turning back to Bofur. His eyes glanced over all of her hair before he focused on a single spot. With a twinkle in his eye, he took a step forward and began parting a section of her hair. He chose a lock of Stella's hair that never layered quite right and was consistently falling out of her ponytails and into her face. His calloused fingers were gentle as he twisted her hair into a tight and simple braid.

As he tied off the end of her new braid, he looked into Stella's eyes and murmured, "_Imhil ibil efsê ni kurduzu_."

Dwalin muttered instructions of what she was to say and do next, making her nod again. Stella took a step towards Bofur so that they were almost chest-to-chest as he took off his hat and hastily took out his usual braids. She searched for a section of his hair, just as he did her, before she settled on a particular section. Stella thought that she may not have a way with words like Zo claimed but she did know how much of a sap she was. She considered that maybe, one day, she would claim Bofur as the soul that complemented hers. What better way to express that (or prepare to) than put her braid on the opposite side that he put his?

She worried that her method of tying his hair wouldn't make the braid stick but Bofur's hair was coarser than hers and stayed put. As she smoothed the braid in his hair down, she hesitated. She knew what she was supposed to say and how she was supposed to say it but it didn't feel right. Ah, well. She had done everything the way dwarves would like it to be done but Bofur would understand her wanting to add a little something of herself.

Stella looked him in the eye and said, "_Binibigkis ko ang aking sarili sa iyong puso_."

They both grinned widely at each other, although their focus was primarily on their braids in each other's hair.

"So let it be known that the exchanging of braids has been witnessed by the elders and the _yandith_ may commence," Bombur formally announced.

"Should you both decide to become betrothed, let it be noted now that you must first exchange a minimum of three courting gifts made by hand," Dwalin droned in a bored voice, although the topic made Stella wink at Bofur.

"Also," Dwalin pinched her side, "with the commencement of your _yandith_, the two of you are now permitted to share touch. But don't you get any funny ideas, toymaker."

Dwalin's added on threat made Zo nod and Stella roll her eyes. A part of her wanted to grab Bofur's hand and put them on certain areas of her body in exaggerated movements just to be childish but even she could admit that those actions would push her permitted boundaries. She should be lucky that she even had an uncle who didn't fight her new relationship with Bofur much.

Dwalin lightly hit Zo's arm and bowed to Bifur and Bombur, who returned the action, while Bofur simply tilted his forehead up to touch Stella's. When everyone straightened up, they stood in silence for a few seconds before Bombur exclaimed, "_Now_ can we celebrate?"

Dwalin and Zo followed after Bombur's waddling form back to Beorn's hall. Bifur slowly walked behind them in a waving motion so Bofur and Stella were left behind in the garden. They stared at each other and, despite the closeness, crashed into each other's arms.

"We can totally hug all the time now and nobody can say anything," she grinned into his hair.

"Aye, I hope you're prepared for me to not let you alone any time soon."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She pulled back and ran her fingers through his loose hair. "I like your hair like this."

A gloved hand ruffled the other side of his scalp. "You think I should keep it like this?"

She considered it for a moment before she shook her head. "No. Keep your braids. They make you, you. But leave it down when it's just me and you, yeah?"

He winked at her with a little smirk on his face. Her eyes automatically flickered down to his mouth and if she had been paying attention, she would have seen that he had done the same. Glad that they finally got all the formal business out the way, Stella leaned down and hovered over Bofur's mouth.

"May I?" she asked softly.

When he nodded eagerly, Stella pressed her lips to where she had been wanting to for almost as long as she had known Bofur.

God, it shook her to her core. She could feel all the longing she had hid boil up from her stomach and explode inside her when she touched her lips to his. She almost felt dizzy and there was Heaven to be found in the way his mouth felt when she sucked his bottom lip between hers. The sensation of his moustache rubbing against her face was more pleasant than she could ever imagine. This first kiss blew away all of Stella's other first kisses. David's kisses were nothing compared to Bofur's. She used to think David was her forever Somebody because she felt sparks whenever he kissed her. What were sparks compared to the fire radiating between her and Bofur anyway?

Stella pulled away with her eyes half-lidded over. She watched him closely as his mouth tried to follow hers and his eyes were still closed. When he slowly opened them, she smiled widely. She released a laugh before jumping in for another kiss. His hands moved from her hips to hold her head still as he deepened the kiss. The breaths of air escaping from her nose brushed his face as she glided her lips against his to keep him close to her for as long as possible.

His long nose brushed against hers and nuzzled her face when he pulled away. "Ready to face the others?"

She wasn't but she nodded anyway. Stella fiddled with the edge of his tunic as he easily braided his hair again. He finished and grinned at her when she fit his hat back on top of his head. Hand-in-hand, they went back into Beorn's hall.

"Stella, is it really true?" Kili asked as soon as they entered.

"Are you and Bofur really together now?" Ori asked excitedly.

"Yes, we are," she confirmed with a smile that soon fell when she noticed the frowns of a few of the others. "Before anybody says anything else, does anybody else have any problems here?"

"Stella, you have to understand," Thorin spoke up after he ran a hand down his weary face, "Dwarves a very secretive race. It is forbidden for a Dwarf to marry a Man."

"I think it's a little soon to be talking of marriage, don't you think?" she grimaced.

"But you will eventually," he pointed out.

"I care for Bofur and he cares for me. That's good enough."

"And years down the line?" Oin asked.

"I said, that's good enough," she said through slightly clenched teeth as she let go of Bofur's hand to cross her arms.

"Make no mistake, lass," Balin warned, "you will be judged. Harshly. Both Men and Dwarves will come down upon you."

"Well, they haven't dealt with an American," she sniffed. "We're terribly stubborn and resilient. Like cockroaches, really…"

They didn't appreciate her nonsensical mutterings. Especially Dori, who drastically lowered the already tense atmosphere by saying, "Have you considered the fact that he'll live far longer than you?"

Stella swallowed down whatever words she thought she had. She had, in fact, considered it and immediately opted to ignore the little fact.

She raised her chin up as she answered, "Say what you will about me but I acknowledge that I'm too selfish to let Bofur go now."

But she still looked at him from over her shoulder and hesitantly asked, "Unless he wants me to?"

He immediately stepped forward and shook his head. "No, my girl, no."

Her shoulders steadily rose until they were almost at her ears as she clutched his scarf in her hands. "I'd let you go if it made you happy. That's all I want."

"If all you want is my happiness, then stay," he gently smiled at her as he pressed his forehead to hers. "I'd rather have a short time together than all my life wondering what I let pass me by."

Stella wrinkled her nose playfully before kissing his briefly. She pulled away quickly and fluffed up her hair. "Well, now that that is taken care of… anybody else?"

"Yes, I have a problem," Bombur spoke up as he bounced between sheep and dogs around the eating table. "Why aren't we celebrating yet?"

Although Stella suspected that Bombur was rather serious, the tension in the Hall evaporated into nothing as everyone relaxed and laughed. Despite a few grumblings about the lack of decent makings for a party, Stella had a wonderful time eating a late breakfast with all the dwarves and Zo. The dwarves would toast Bofur and chugged back mug after mug of mead. They sang songs and played music with tea pots and eating utensils but Zo couldn't be bothered break out his violin, despite their coaxing. The entire ruckus woke Bilbo, who came wandering in with bleary eyes.

"What's all the commotion about?" he mumbled sleepily.

Stella jumped down from the tall bench after grabbing a honey bun to guide Bilbo outside. He nibbled on the bun as he followed her down the garden path. She stroked the tops of the flowers with an outstretched hand as she kept her eye on him.

"They're celebrating because Bofur and I are together now. Formally, I mean," she clarified. "Apparently, it's a big deal for dwarves. We had a huge meeting and Dwalin had to be my representative for my family and everything."

"So you finally decided to stop acting silly, have you?" Bilbo raised his brows.

Stella sputtered. "What?"

"Oh, were we pretending it was a secret? I wasn't aware. I thought you were both being bad actors," he smiled.

She threw the remnant of her honey bun at him, which he easily dodged, while she pouted, "Bilbo, why are you being so salty right now? That's so rude."

Stella was sure he had no clue what she meant but he laughed nonetheless. A part of her wanted to casually bring up a few smiles being exchanged between the hobbit and another dark-haired dwarf. But there was a bigger part of her that knew her teasing wouldn't be appreciated so she kept her mouth shut.

She tapped the fuzzy body of a bumblebee lazily flying by before Bilbo stepped forward to hug her tightly.

"Congratulations," he spoke into her stomach.

Stella smiled, still feeling elated from the meeting earlier in the morning and her kiss. She touched the braid in her hair as she hugged Bilbo back.

"Thank you."

* * *

**Khuzdul translation:**

Namhál Uradadu mahimbikh – in case of father's absence [lit.: in case the father of the Ur disappears]  
Nisullukan sabrê máyfali! Ammâ i'rikhi diya - Of course my answer is it's allowed! We need her.  
Bofur, stu izrêl Stella kurusikmi barafmâ? – Bofur, do you wish Stella to join our family?  
Kun, mahizril 'ala. – Yes, I do wish this.  
Birairnik – I will consider this [lit.: I consider.]  
Yandith – birth that is new  
Binuknas – Idiot [lit.: a person without sense]  
Lu' – No  
Imhil ibil efsê ni kurduzu – I braid [lit.: bind] myself into your heart

**Tagalog translation: **

Binibigkis ko ang aking sarili sa iyong puso – I bind myself into your heart

* * *

**A/N:** I thought I'd join the bandwagon and upload a new chapter for Christmas. So happy Christmas to everyone who celebrates it, happy holidays to people who don't, and happy December 25th to people who don't celebrate holidays at all!

So this is my favorite chapter so far and I know you know why. I've been _dying_ to put this up for months and I'm so glad it's finally out there.

I'm taking a lot of liberties about Dwarven courtship here. I think Dwarves are just as formal about courtships as they are about betrothals. What I have portrayed here is the beginning of the courtship, which I called the _yandith_. It is the birth of a new relationship and it sets up the boundaries between a couple so they can determine if they are compatible or not. Clearly, Stella and Bofur (who Shiningheart of Thunderclan has referred as **Bofella**, which I _love_) totally are.

Super huge thank you to AwkwardlyQuietThespian for being kind enough to provide the correct Tagalog translations for me :)


	17. Chapter 17

Although Bilbo, Stella, and Zo burned out of the celebrating quickly, the dwarves continued well into lunch. Their song was interrupted when the door opened to reveal Beorn. The Company quieted down immediately as the dogs barked in happiness and gathered around their master. Beorn bent down to gently pat all the animals on the head. His yellow eyes lingered on the dwarves.

"Do not let me interrupt whatever it is you're doing," he spoke slowly. "But what is it that has you so uproarious?"

Nobody made an answer but it didn't matter. The ponies in the hall began to make strange noises that Stella had never heard before. Beorn seemed to understand the sounds the ponies were making because his eyes lit up and a small smile overcame his face.

He turned to stare straight at Stella and Bofur before he nodded to them and said, "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Stella smiled as Bofur bowed.

Beorn settled into his giant chair and his animals settled around him. A small mouse climbed up his leg and to his arm before settling into Beorn's hand. Beorn pet the mouse on the head with his thumb and a gentle expression upon his face.

"I have gone to confirm your story about the goblins," Beorn began.

He looked Stella in the eye but she stared the other way and daintily sipped on her cup of milk. The interaction did not go unnoticed but she just as pointedly kept her attention away from Thorin and Nori.

"Stella, I have to know: are you ever going to actually tell us things before they happen?" Nori asked.

"Shall I tell you about the things that lurk in Mirkwood?" she asked loftily in return.

Thorin stepped passed Stella and gave her a look that promised they would talk later. He relaxed his face when he turned to Beorn.

"What have you decided?" Thorin asked him.

Beorn looked up from where he was teasing a red-faced Bilbo and said, "It was a good story, the one that the little owl told me, but I like it better now that I am sure it is true."

The tension in the shoulders of the dwarves eased.

"I hurried home to offer you any help," Beorn continued. "I shall think more kindly of dwarves after this. Killed the Great Goblin!"

Bilbo spoke over Beorn's chuckles, "There were noises last night. What did you do to the goblins that followed?"

Stella completely forgot that Beorn caught a goblin until he led them outside and proudly showed off the head stuck on a gate post and a warg-skin nailed to a tree. She groaned in revulsion and held a hand to her delicate stomach as she looked away. Zo let out his own scoff of disgust before completely turning around.

"Don't tell me a little goblin head gets your nerves jittering," Gloin chortled.

"Nobody puts heads on spikes where we live," Stella said in a matter-of-fact voice. "It's uncivilized."

"It's fucking disgusting," Zo added.

"It's life," Dwalin rolled his eyes.

"If this is what you consider life, I'm glad I won't stay here forever," Zo sneered.

Stella froze immediately. She could feel more than see Zo's shift from repugnance to regret. He made a move to reach out to her but she was already briskly walking away.

"Stella," he called out to her but she didn't turn back.

She made her way to the gardens and quickly crawled under a huge gathering of flowers. Stella curled her knees to her chest and buried her face in her knees. A high-pitched whine came from her throat before she slowly leaned to the side and collapsed. She kept it together when she heard footsteps wander by and someone calling out her name. They continued and she heard their voice fade away. She sniffled but cut it short when a pair of feet stopped in front of her and the person crouched down.

Stella merely glanced up before going back to staring despondently at the dirt when Bilbo crawled in with her. He settled down comfortably like he belonged in the roots of flowers. He stared at her sympathetically before he stretched out to place a small hand on her face. At the feeling of his gentleness, she knew her resolve wavered and she began to cry.

With the exception of their escape from the mountain, Stella had done her best to avoid crying as much as she could. But she was just getting so tired.

Bilbo stayed at her side and kept his hand on her cheek as she sobbed into the dirt. He only moved his hand to her hair when she used her own hands to cover her face and uselessly wipe away her tears.

"I hate this, I hate it, I hate it," she choked out. "I hate that I love it here and I hate that I can't ever go back home and I hate that I feel like I'm already giving up trying and I'll never see my family again."

Bilbo remained quiet and she continued on.

"You're all my friends but what about my _best_ friends? What about my parents and brother and sisters? It's not fair."

Bilbo's eyes flickered over her face in concern.

"Why am I here, Bilbo? Why am I here?"

He nudged himself up and forward so he could cuddle Stella's face to his chest. She clung to him and cried as he answered, "I don't know, my darling girl. I just don't know."

Stella felt heavy as more tears streamed across her nose and down to her right ear. Her face was swollen and she could barely breathe but kept crying anyway. His linen shirt was in her fists and a small part of her felt sorry for how much sweat and snot she was getting on him. She tried to wipe her nose but it just made her feel more repulsive. She turned to lie flat on her back so she could breathe easier. Even if she felt like screaming, she still cried silently.

"How do I keep going, Bilbo?" she asked softly.

He continued to run his fingers through her hair and answered just as quietly, "By not forgetting to live, Stella."

She heard his words but they didn't help like she wished they would.

"When do I say goodbye?"

Bilbo's eyes shuttered close briefly. "When you're ready."

Stella sniffled and pitifully shook her head. "I don't think I'm ready yet."

"That's okay," he assured her.

Her voice was weak when she said, "I'm glad you're here, Bilbo. You're one of my best friends."

"Even if I'm not Nola or Sierra?" he asked with a smile as he tucked an elbow under his head.

"Because you're not," she admitted before she poked him on his nose. "I see you."

His eyes softened. "You're my best friend, too."

Stella choked out a laugh that sounded a bit relieved before she sniffled again. She released a groan, this time in response to how disgusting she felt. She pressed her hands to her cheeks in an effort to press the swelling of her face down. Bilbo shifted around uncomfortably before pulling out an unfortunate looking cloth from his pocket. He grimaced at it but still offered it to her.

She took it from him and stared at it for a moment. "Was this Bofur's pocket?"

Bilbo flushed. "I forgot my handkerchief at home and he just threw it at me. Honestly."

She weakly smiled with him and at the same time, they shook their heads and said, "Dwarves."

"Stella, forgive me if I'm wrong," he started out hesitantly, "but it seems to me that you do your utmost to keep yourself from showing that you're upset, until…well, until you get like this."

"I don't like crying in front of people," she looked away. "Or at all, really."

"But that's not healthy," he insisted. "If you keep holding it, you'll explode like a firework."

"I just," she sighed, "About five years ago, these girls…well, they…they did something and it made me really upset and after a while, people told me to get over it and I decided to stop crying about it and then I just stopped crying altogether."

Something flickered in Bilbo's eyes. "I won't ask what they did if you don't want to tell me. But I care about you and you'll really hurt yourself if you keep all the bad inside."

She didn't say anything.

"How about this: if you don't want to show anybody else when you want to cry, you can come to me," he offered.

Stella's mouth twitched. She curled her arm up to hold Bilbo's hand in hers. They continued to lie there in silence with only the flowers as company.

Their moment was cut short by the sound of shuffling feet on dirt. Bilbo twisted his neck around to see who it was. When he turned back, he mimed the shape of a hat and Stella immediately peeked out through the petals.

"Psst!" she hissed to get his attention.

Bofur whirled around and immediately relaxed when he realized who it was. However, he looked extremely concerned when he caught sight of the tear tracks on Stella's face, making her look down in shame. She beckoned Bofur into the blossoms with a mumble to be careful of Bilbo.

Bofur settled into the dirt with them but continued to watch her in concern. Without saying a word, he turned himself and Stella on their sides so he could hold her from behind. She sighed shakily as Bofur lightly kissed her cheek and Bilbo held her hand.

When she crawled into the flowers, all she wanted was to be alone. But she found that Bilbo's and Bofur's presence was no interruption at all.

They lingered in the flowers for only a few moments longer before Stella crawled out again to hunt down Zo. She found him easily enough. He was sitting on the veranda while she could hear the others murmuring from the inside of the hall.

"You look like shit," he greeted as he smoked a cigarette.

Stella wrinkled her nose and hastily wiped at the dirt on her face. Bilbo offered her an encouraging smile before joining the others inside. Bofur kissed her knuckles and followed behind Bilbo. She shook out her shoulders and trudged up the veranda's steps. She sat down next to Zo, who turned to give her an expectant look.

"I'm compiling a list of things I need to do," she informed him.

"Lay it on me, sweet thing," he said with another drag on his cigarette.

"I need to stop comparing everyone here to my family," Stella began.

"One," he noted with a thumb up in the air.

"I need to stop keeping what I feel to myself until I break down."

"Two," Zo lifted his index finger with his thumb.

"And I need to acknowledge that I will most likely be here the rest of my life and not be bitter about it," she finished.

Zo thickly swallowed before he decided to just leave his cigarette hanging from his lips.

"Three whole things," he opted to go for sarcasm instead of whatever it was he was thinking. "Quite a list you got going there, Stell."

"Yeah, well, I'm working on it," she shrugged.

He tugged at a few curls absentmindedly before cursing under his breath. "Did we not just agree only a couple hours ago that you'd keep trying to go home?"

"We did," Stella nodded. "But we also need to agree that you need to be prepared just in case I can't. Or won't."

Zo was stricken by her last sentence but he couldn't look away from Stella. "I gotta be honest, babe, that's going to be tough."

"Yeah, well, so is accepting I might not be able to go back."

He nodded slowly before he turned away from her. They both focused on the same giant bumblebee that lazily flew past them, oblivious to their plight.

"This is fifty shades of fucked up," Zo finally sighed as he stood up to flick his cigarette butt to the ground before he grinded it into the dirt.

Whatever moment they could have had was interrupted by Beorn. The giant man came outside with dogs excitedly bustling around him. The dogs ran past Stella and Zo but the man himself eyed them closely.

If he found anything of note, he did not remark on it. Instead, Beorn turned to address Stella. "Come along, little owl. I shall assist you and your companions in your gathering of supplies."

The corner of Stella's mouth twitched up as the Company came out, laughing jovially as if Stella and Bilbo had never gone missing. Zo nudged her shoulder and followed Fili and Kili silently. When Bofur came up behind her, she smiled at him and took her hand in hers. She doubted she would feel better for a long while but he made it a little easier.

Beorn guided the Company around his grounds to gather supplies. Those who had their packs had to reorganize and those who did not were given one, courtesy of the sheep. Bofur and Fili patiently taught Stella and Zo how to pick supplies carefully, as their packs had been prepared by Elladan and Elrohir when they left.

Stella bit her lip at the amount of nuts, flour, cakes, honey, dried fruits, cram, and mushrooms that were in each pack. The leather canteens were left empty until the Company was set to leave. To her eye, it seemed like more than enough but she wasn't prepared to trust her eyes.

"How long would all this food last?" she asked Dwalin, who stood next to her with his arms crossed.

"'Bout two weeks," he answered with a grunt.

She wrinkled her nose again. "And if we stretch it out?"

"Barely few days more," Dwalin shrugged, this time with a raised eyebrow.

"Then we'll need more," Stella returned the shrug before spinning around. "Beorn!"

Beorn glanced up from the puppy whose belly he was rubbing. "What say you, little owl? Will that suffice?"

"Would it be too much to ask to double it?" she smoothed down her hair nervously.

The skin-changer threw back his head to laugh uproariously. "You are bold. I do like you."

She narrowed her eyes up at him. "So is that a yes, that is too much or is that a yes, you may have double?"

"Exactly how long do you plan on being in those woods?" Beorn didn't answer.

"If things go well, three or three and a half weeks," she tried to guess.

"And if it goes badly?"

"Then the amount of food wouldn't matter as much as trying to get to safety," Stella reluctantly admitted.

"Ah, so you _do_ know what things skulk in the darkness," Beorn smiled but it didn't seem kind.

At that moment, Nori suddenly entered in the conversation. "Wait. You were serious? What evil things live in there?"

"You mean, besides elves?" Oin spoke up, making his brother guffaw.

The dwarves' laughter died down when they noticed Stella's stiffness and Beorn's unamused disposition.

"Stella?" Thorin stepped forward. "Did you See something in there?"

She absentmindedly tapped her fingers on her thigh before answering curtly with, "Spiders."

From the other side of the Company, she could hear Zo curse.

"Spiders?" Dori repeated incredulously. "What's so bad about – "

"That are about the size of horses," Stella finished.

It was quiet until Bombur asked, "Seriously?"

"Seriously," she confirmed.

"Wretched spawn of Ungoliant," Gloin spat. Stella tilted her head his way but shrugged off his remark.

"Anyway," she tried to capture everyone's attention again. "I'll tell you more later. Right now, we focus on gathering food that will last at least a month."

Despite all efforts to make Stella speak up, she could not find the courage to do so in fear that she would heave out vomit instead of words. She waited until everyone wandered off to continue packing food in their new bags so she could place her hands on her stomach and take deep breaths. Even when Zo stood beside her, she could not shake the nausea away.

Zo rubbed a comforting hand on Stella's back. "Are you going to be okay?"

She shook her head. "Do I have any choice?"

"We always do," he tried to tell her. "We can stay here."

"I can't."

"If this is about Bofur…"

"It's not just him, Zo," she tried not to sigh. "Bilbo's my friend. Can you honestly say you would stay behind and leave Fili to his fate?"

Zo's brow furrowed. "His fate?"

Stella glanced away from the Company to look up at her friend before doubling back when she caught sight of his stricken expression. She grabbed his arm and dragged him a few feet away to ensure nobody would hear them. Zo's eyes were frantically moving across the dirt and he was already reaching up to tug at his curls before Stella could yank them back down.

She held his hands down at his sides as she bent down so she could look him in the eye. "Did you seriously not know?"

"Know what?" he almost yelled.

"I thought you knew," she murmured more to herself. She checked once more to see if anybody was paying attention to them before she leaned in further. "Zo. Thorin, Fili, and Kili don't make it. They die in battle."

She held her hands up with her palms out when Zo struggled to get away from her. She could see him swallowing as he turned to look at the three in question.

"And what? W-we just let them?"

"You think I know? You think I want to?" Stella almost hissed at him. She reared back so she could straighten her back and clench her fists at her sides. "They think I'm a Seer. But all I know is what Tolkien wrote. I know how this journey ends and I know how Frodo's journey ends. What I don't know is how their deaths affect all that."

Zo clenched his jaw and was about ready to turn away from her when she kept going.

"What if I change things? What if I do everything I can to let them live and it changes the entire thing with the Ring? If I do that, everything I know will be useless," she tried to tell him. "I can't help them if they don't think I'm a Seer."

"And if you don't help them, you think they won't hate you for not telling them or saying you didn't See it?" he pointed out unkindly. "They'll think you're useless."

She bit down on her lip but was determined to not look away. "I know that."

Zo visibly deflated and he rubbed two fingertips at one of his temples. "What do we do, Stell? Ask Gandalf or something?"

"They were rather determined to not hear what I know, remember?" she dropped her head down. "I think they would rather everything goes the way Tolkien wrote."

"God fucking damn it," he groaned.

"Want to know something super shitty?"

"No, but you'll tell me anyway."

"I honestly have no idea how they die. Any of them."

"You what?" Zo snapped.

"Yeah, the book doesn't say," Stella shrugged. "Just says Fili and Kili fall protecting Thorin and then Thorin gets injured and Beorn carries him into the Mountain where he dies. Doesn't say who, how, when."

"What about the movie?"

"Never saw it," she sighed.

"Why not?" he asked incredulously.

"I was busy," Stella snapped before she pouted. "By the time I had the opportunity to see it, it was out of theaters and I was waiting to get the DVD."

"So now you have no idea how they die or if anything changes from the book," Zo accurately guessed.

"Basically," she nodded.

Zo sighed and they both turned to watch the Company. Bilbo was patiently sorting through all the mushrooms Bifur brought him as Bofur and Bombur gathered more nuts. The Ri family were set to gather as many berries as they could as they had some of the nimblest fingers in the Company. Oin was repairing all the damaged clothes while Gloin was counting what money was left over from their fall. Dwalin organized and sharpened any weapons left while Balin stood behind Thorin, who was speaking softly with his nephews.

Zo summed up both his and Stella's thoughts with one word: "Fuck."

* * *

After eating one last meal in the company of sheep, horses, and dogs, Stella and Zo found themselves in the warm and stifling embrace of a skin-changer. Beorn's hug had Stella laughing but Zo barely tolerated it with a small grimace. All of Zo's smiles were reserved for his pets on the noses of all the animals.

Beorn regarded the both of them fondly as he declared, "The two of you are welcome back to my halls whenever you wish. You truly are friends of mine and of animals."

"Thank you, Beorn," Stella smiled up at him when he set her back down again. "I look forward to seeing you again."

"I don't," Zo said carelessly. "I'd like to see the animals again, though."

Beorn boomed with laughter as Stella shook her head at his friend. Beorn proved not to mind Zo's callousness as he turned around to loudly shout to the Company, "Come, little bunny! I shall miss you, as well!"

While Bilbo warily avoided the skin-changer, Stella made her way to count the ponies Beorn had allowed the Company to ride temporarily. It had already been agreed on that Stella would be sharing a pony with Bofur, as she had never ridden before, and Zo would need a horse instead of a pony. One of the many horses that Zo had bonded with in the past two days volunteered itself to carry Zo to Mirkwood.

After Beorn had captured and released Bilbo from a fierce hug that left Bilbo's curls thoroughly ruffled, he gave them all a final goodbye and a firm reminder to allow the ponies to return to him. Stella periodically turned around in her seat behind Bofur to see Beorn still waving. The last time she turned, he was a small figure in the distance but she could see him hunch down and turn into the scarred bear she first came across. Knowing that he would eventually follow them to ensure his ponies' safety, Stella at last sat forward and melted into Bofur's back.

While it could be said that dwarves were a rambunctious crowd, they would inevitably fall into a comfortable silence while traveling. There would be days that could pass without anybody saying a word beyond a few directions. And that was how the next three days passed. Few words were shared as the Company traveled north and then northwest.

Bofur and Stella were murmuring their promised two facts about themselves a day when Zo rode up next to them.

"Dude, something just occurred to me," Zo slapped the back of his hand against Stella's shoulder to capture her attention, making her scowl.

"What?"

Instead of answering, he addressed the dwarf in front her. "Bofur, how old are you?"

The question immediately made Stella stiffen but Bofur either didn't notice or didn't let it bother him as he cheerfully answered, "I turned 145 earlier this year."

Bofur's age caused a bark of laughter to escape from Zo. His amusement startled many of the others, who had not seen Zo as upbeat as he was in that moment. "Dude, that is beyond a cradle robber. There are no words for you."

Stella kicked out a leg and tried to shove Zo off his horse. "You can fuck off, Lorenzo Marchesi."

"He is! You can't even legally drink yet and you're hooking up with this guy," Zo didn't stop laughing.

"Stop making fun of my boyfriend's age!" she exclaimed before quickly wrinkling her nose.

"It is so wrong for you to call him a boyfriend when he's that much older than you," Zo said her thoughts out loud. "I guess you can always call him Daddy instead."

Although it was meant as a joke, the way Zo said it made Stella still in her seat before she leaned to the side so she could properly look Bofur up and down. After giving him her full attention, she made a noise of contemplation.

"Oh, my fucking God," Zo's amusement quickly turned to shock. "Do you have a fucking daddy kink?"

"I wouldn't know," Stella answered absentmindedly as she still thought it over. "But, hey, don't knock it 'til you try it, y'know?"

"No, I don't know," Zo shook his head with a grimace. "And I don't want to know."

"You're no fun," Stella tried to sound disappointed.

Thorin cut off Zo's next remark by calling the Company to a halt. The forest had been looming above them the closer they traveled to it but it was still as menacing as it seemed when Stella could see it from a distance. Bofur dismounted the pony first and helped Stella down but his gaze never drew away from the dark trees in front of them. Gandalf, who had arrived just before they all left Beorn's house, was speaking quietly with Bilbo as he closely inspected the entrance.

Everyone relieved the ponies of their burdens and a few were murmuring of their usefulness. Bilbo was quick to shoot their ideas down by reminding them of what Beorn would do if he found out the dwarves would not return his animals.

"And I need I remind you that he is watching?" Stella added in as she pointed at a ridgeline a couple miles away. Everyone turned and could see small movement among the trees.

"The nerve!" Gloin exclaimed. "Does he not trust us?"

"With the way you were just whispering about keeping them around? No," Stella calmly answered. She stepped forward to wrap her arm around Gloin's shoulder to guide him away from the pony. "Now let go of Ludvik and let him go back to his dear friend Beorn."

"Ludvik?" Oin lifted his ear trumpet.

"That's his name," she said as she pet the pony's nose.

"Since when?" Gloin huffed.

"Since he told me," Stella responded seriously. Ludvik nuzzled Stella's ear, as if to back up her claim.

Completely aware that she left the brothers standing there incredulously, Stella walked away to join the gathering dwarves. They all grumbled as the ponies turned around and ran off in the direction they came from. The horse that carried Zo ("His name is Axel, not Hinrik. Get it right, Stell.") lingered for a moment by resting his nose on Zo's shoulder but he, too, followed his siblings.

The dwarves were still grumbling when Gandalf impatiently told them off. "Beorn may be your friend now, but he loves his animals as his children. You do not guess what would happen to you if you tried to take them into the forest."

"What about the last horse, then?" Thorin asked. "You don't mention sending that back."

"I don't, because I am not sending it."

"What about your promise then?"

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo said in despair.

"I would not do this unless I had to," Gandalf tried to say comfortingly. "Cheer up, Bilbo, and do not look so glum."

Bilbo merely nodded but he still hung his head. Gandalf leaned down against his staff to peer at the hobbit closely.

"You have changed, Bilbo Baggins. You are not the same hobbit that left the Shire."

Bilbo peeked up at the wizard from under his eyelashes. Stella took a step forward when she caught him idly playing at the pocket of his waistcoat. He had been doing so for the past few days with worryingly dependence.

"I was going to tell you," Bilbo said softly. "I…found something in the goblin tunnels."

Gandalf's brow furrowed and his eyes flickered over Bilbo's head to Stella. She hoped she didn't look as fearful as she felt. She minutely shook her head as she approached the two quietly.

"What did you find?" he asked Bilbo.

Bilbo was quiet for a moment and Stella took the opportunity to step up and place a hand over Bilbo's mouth. "His courage.

"Now, Stella…" Gandalf started out seriously.

"We _will_ talk about this. Won't we, Bilbo?" she looked down at her friend and used her hand to make him nod his head. "But you have important things to do, too."

Gandalf almost looked amused. "Are you aware of what I shall be doing?"

Stella felt a flutter inside her that felt like warning. The last image of Gandalf she could remember from the movies was of him losing his staff at the power of Sauron. She thought of Sauron and then all she could think of was Saruman, and how close Gandalf was to the White Wizard. All at once, the image of Gandalf's disintegrated staff turned to a fight in Isengard, followed by a long fall with a Balrog. A chill ran up her spine. She swallowed the thick lump in her throat and slowly smoothed her hair down.

"I have a guess," Stella said as flippantly as she could while Bilbo shoved her hand off his face. "All I can say is be careful, don't get caught, and don't die."

"How grim you are!"

Stella laughed along with him before saying with a nod, "No, seriously."

Gandalf still laughed and he shook his head. "Do take care of them, Stella. They'll need it."

"Take care of yourself," she returned pointedly. "Please."

With the promise given, the wizard gave her a gentle smile before he turned around and mounted his horse. He regarded the dwarves' grumbling fondly before telling them, "Do not stray off the track! If you do, I do not suppose that I, or anyone else, will ever see you again."

"Oh, that's nice," Zo rolled his eyes. "Is there no way we can just go around?"

"There are no safe paths in this area of the world. North will bring you orcs and goblins and South will bring you the land of the Necromancer," Gandalf's eyes glanced at Stella at this last word, making her wince. "So go this way, stick to the path, keep your spirits up, and with a tremendous slice of luck, you may come out one day and see the Long Marsh below you and the Lonely Mountain high in the East."

"Very comforting you are to be sure," Gloin growled.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me."

"That was directed at you for sure, Thorin," Stella laughed, making the dwarf in question roll his eyes. When Stella and Gandalf did not avert their hard stares from him, he reluctantly nodded but quickly turned away.

"Good, Thorin. Good," Gandalf smiled. "Now, goodbye."

"Goodbye and go away!" Dwalin huffed.

"Really goodbye!" Gandalf chuckled before he turned his horse away to ride into the West. Because he could not resist having the last word, they could hear him yelling from the distance, "Be safe, and take care of yourself – and do not leave the path!"

"Confounded Wizard," Bilbo muttered.

"But he's right," Stella spoke up. "Leave the path and you'll lose your heads. I am claiming my right to hit you until you get your heads back, right now. Just a warning."

"Is this the time you will tell us what you have Seen?" Thorin asked with his arms folded across his broad chest.

Stella looked at each dwarf as a few of them regarded her suspiciously. Bombur gave her an encouraging nod but she still felt uncomfortable in the face of the expecting Thorin. She folded her own arms and hunched her shoulders.

"Eat slowly and in small amounts. Gather as much water as you can here and drink as little as possible," she said, waving a hand at the small brook that curled along the edge of the forest. "The river in there has black water that will poison you into a sleep and make you forget. Possibly as long as the past few months."

"And what about the animals?" Kili inquired.

"It'll be so dark in there; you won't be able to shoot them. Even if you do, they won't be any good for eating."

"Yes, but what about animals that will be a danger to us?" Dori said impatiently.

"As I said a few days ago: spiders," she answered simply as she tried to ignore the sheer panic crawling up her throat. "Giant spiders. Their webs will be everywhere and if you're not careful, they'll just snatch you right up. Eat you alive."

"And those wretched Elves just allow those things to live in their forest?" Dwalin spat.

Stella stared at him incredulously. "And wretched Thrór just allowed Smaug to take over Erebor? Some things, like spiders and dragons, are just out of people's control. Don't be so quick to point fingers, Uncle."

Giving a thoroughly chastened Dwalin a glance and a shrug, Thorin addressed Stella one last time, "Anything else to add?"

"Um, two things," she nodded to herself. "One: this forest is filled with illusions so try not to lose yourself. And two: if you see any circles of fires, don't just rush in, you walnuts. That'll definitely get you lost. I'm talking to you specifically on this, Thorin, son of Thrain."

Thorin sighed again but seemed to take her words seriously. As everyone straightened out the bags on their backs, he turned to speak to his eldest nephew. "Fili. I have been guiding this Company through its perils. Since you are to be king one day, you should have practice doing the same."

"Thorin?" Fili's voice was light.

"The Company will be under your guidance in this part of our journey," Thorin placed a heavy hand on Fili's shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile. "We are at your command now. You will make me proud."

Fili visibly gulped but erased any anxiety from his face as he clenched his jaw with a stern brow. He nodded determinately and tightened his grip on the length of rope around his shoulders. He accepted Zo's thumbs up and Kili's smile with a shaky breath before he addressed everyone.

"Company, let's go."

And so they plunged into the darkness of the forest.

* * *

**A/N:** This is going to be a long author's note. You ready?

1\. Let me just say that any references anybody makes that could be found in _The Silmarillion_, _Children of Hurin_, or _Unfinished Tales_ will go right over Stella's head. She's a huge fan when it comes to _The Hobbit_ and _Lord of the Rings_ but she just never got around to the other books.

2\. I got a review from a guest that I just felt had to be addressed. I think it's fairly accurate to say that Stella is very selfish in her mourning. To her knowledge, she's already lost her family that she loved very much permanently. To her knowledge, Zo is glad that his father is out of his life. So she doesn't consider it an equal loss. In Stella's eyes at this moment, nobody really understands so she's definitely dancing between the two stages of anger and denial when it comes to losing loved ones.

But this is just based on what you know of Stella and Zo so far. I can tell you that this will be touched on in a few more chapters.

3\. I have been working on the chapter where everyone escapes Mirkwood for the past _three_ _**months**_. It's been frustrating. I only became aware of how much time has passed since the last released chapter and I thought it was unfair to keep you all waiting so long. So here this is.

4\. Also, Zo is the kink-shaming friend and Stella is the friend that says, "That kink sounds horrible. Please tell me more."


	18. Chapter 18

Darkness and silence made up Mirkwood Forest. Any conversation there was to be had was made solely when Fili decided that it was time for the Company to rest. During what everyone assumed to be day, they walked in single file on the narrow path. They only had a hint as to what time of day it was when the sun would occasionally peek out between the twisted branches and heavy ivy.

Bizarre noises could be heard in the distance. In the distance, there was the sound of grunting and a few crunching noises that Stella did not want to even contemplate. Closer, they could hear the sounds of scuffling in the trees and the chittering of animals above them. When their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they could see black squirrels running about. Fili, to Kili's displeasure, had already told off his brother for shooting at the squirrels. Waste of arrows for nothing, he had said. There had been no comfort to Kili for the rest of the Company had agreed with Fili's word.

In the days since Fili gained leadership of the Company, there was not much change from when they were led by Thorin. However, he was less likely to converse with all subgroups of the Company than Thorin was. Despite Thorin's initial coolness when he first met Stella and Lorenzo, he still spoke with every single member of the Company to ensure their personal comfort. Fili, despite all of his kindnesses, had a tendency to speak only with those he was closest to.

Yet Fili continued to prove himself to be a good leader. He thought long about his decisions and remained firm in whatever he decided. He never wavered from what he thought to be right. He was also more lenient than Thorin regarding their pace. Fili wanted to be out of Mirkwood as quickly as anybody else but never pushed anybody to the point of exhaustion. He was understanding of how nervous the forest made everyone. He saw what they saw.

The worst sight to see, in Stella's opinion, was all the cobwebs. Thick, sticky cords stretched from tree to tree and from branch to bush. A few webs stretched over the path yet none of them touched the ground.

No words had to be exchanged for the humans and hobbit to know how much the dwarves hated the forest. They were tense and held their weapons far too tightly for Stella's tastes. Bofur informed Stella that it was the overwhelming darkness that troubled their minds.

"Dwarrows live in the dark," he told her as he held her when everyone tried to get some sleep. "But it's not like this."

"What's it like?" she asked.

"The mountains go deep in the earth. But we miners have strings of lights going across from each wall to the other. We use mirrors to bounce off the natural light from above to the mines. It might be work but it's still beautiful."

She almost smiled at the image that was in her mind.

"It's not like this though," he continued. "It's so dark here that I can't even see my hands in front of my face. Sometimes I worry one day I'll let go of your hand while we're in here and I will lose you forever."

"You won't," Stella tried to promise him.

"If I knew how dark it would be in here," he pulled her closer, "I would have looked at your face longer before we entered."

There was nothing she could say to that, for she silently wished the same.

Stella and Zo were seldom asked to take a turn to watch out for things in the night. Stella only ever joined when the nightmares became too much for her to even consider going back to sleep. She did not dare move away from Bofur's embrace out of fear that she would not be able to find him again in the dark. When she awoke each night, she was faced with the perturbing presence of glowing eyes watching the Company. Bilbo would whisper to her that he saw the same and suspected they belonged to insects. She could only shiver in fear because they were far too big to belong to any insect she could think of.

It took approximately two weeks for the hallucinations to set in.

It came gradually. There would be a few dwarves stumbling here and there but it took nothing more than a hand on the shoulder to bring them back. But when the stumbling turned into mutterings, Stella got worried. The dwarves would begin having conversations with each other but would continue on even though the other never answered. Then, the conversations would include people who were not there.

It was on one of these days that Stella overheard Thorin muttering about the Arkenstone. He had just come out of a whispered yet heated conversation with Balin and Fili. Stella suspected he was dissatisfied with the rate of how the Company was moving through the Mirkwood. Fili had walked away from the two of them to whisper to Kili with masked dismay, "I'm doing the best I can."

That was enough to persuade Stella into speaking with Thorin. She knew it wasn't her place to, especially because Fili definitely did not ask her to. But Fili was her friend – well, more like Zo's friend, but any friend of Zo's was a friend of hers – and she simply could not abide people causing her friends to be upset, even if (especially if) those people were her friends' family. So she left a kiss to Bofur's temple and wandered over to where she could barely see Thorin's figure pace back and forth. She was ready to give him a piece of her mind when she heard him muttering to Balin.

"We need to get out of here," he hissed. "We're running out of time."

"There's still nearly four months until Durin's Day," Balin disagreed patiently. "We have time."

"We won't if we stay in this accursed place," Thorin snapped. "We need to get out. We need to get to the mountain."

"Even if we were at the mountain now, we still couldn't get in," Balin pointed out. "The door will not open until Durin's Day."

"The sooner Durin's Day arrives, the better," Thorin continued to pace. "We need to take back the mountain. I need the Arkenstone."

"Why do you need the Arkenstone?" Stella interjected.

Thorin's shadowed form turned towards her. "It is a symbol of my line's right to rule. If my people are to follow me, then I need the Stone."

"But it's just a rock," she said in her confusion.

She could barely see him shake his head. "You would not understand."

Stella bit down on the inside of her cheek. She had been waiting for a moment to speak with Thorin about what would lead to his gold-sickness. In the time since Stella and Zo had joined the Company, nothing had come up for Thorin had not spoken about the Arkenstone since they arrived. Now that the opportunity had come up, she was not entirely sure what to say. A brief thought flickered through her mind and she acted on it impulsively.

She unhooked her necklace as she stepped towards Thorin. She coaxed him into holding his hand out before she placed her necklace in his palm. He didn't jerk at the feeling but he did stiffen, if only for a second.

"You have in your hand my most important possession," Stella told him. "It's a symbol of the love of my parents and it is literally the only thing I have that every single one of family members have physically touched."

Thorin shifted but did not move his hand out of hers. He did not move even when Stella stepped back.

"You've seen me become quite hysterical when I thought I lost this and now it's in your hands. But just you having it won't make me follow your lead," she continued. "If you told me that you would never give me my necklace again unless I followed you into Erebor, I would tell you no."

"Even if I have your most important possession?" Thorin sounded confused.

"It's important to me," she agreed. "But in the end, it's just a necklace."

"I don't understand," he admitted.

"My necklace is a symbol of the love between my family members and I will always remember that, even if I never see my necklace again. My necklace may be a symbol of that love but not having it doesn't all of a sudden make the love disappear."

"So," he hesitated, "what you're saying is…"

"Thorin, I just want you to remember that the Arkenstone isn't what makes people accept your rule. It's the decisions you make. It's the person you decide to be," she clarified.

Thorin was silent before he said, "You have made yourself quite clear. Thank you for explaining."

It wasn't the answer Stella wanted to hear but she knew it was all she would receive. She accepted it with a single nod as she took back her necklace from his outstretched hand.

"No problem," she replied. She turned around to make her way back to Bofur. She was only a few steps away when she turned back to say, "You're a good person, Thorin. But even good people have to make difficult choices. I just want you to pick the right ones."

"Understood," he dismissed her, and she hoped that he did not dismiss her words.

He spoke to her only a few more times in the days after that but never again about the Arkenstone. He inquired once briefly about her family but the rest of their conversations revolved around her health. Their food supply was decently stocked but still dwindling with their water packs decreasing faster. He and Fili would continuously ask her how well their trek in the forest was progressing. They were the last two to hold out against the enchantment of Mirkwood, with exception to Stella and Zo.

"Does the air seem a little off to you?" Dori inquired one day in a moment of lucidity.

"Yes. It feels…thick," they could hear Gloin gasp.

"Thick and sick," Bilbo murmured from behind.

"Feels fine to me," Stella answered as she squeezed Bofur's hand. It would not be the first time that he did not squeeze her hand back.

"Yeah, about that. It almost feels normal, doesn't it, Stell?" she heard Zo.

"What do you mean?"

"Since we got here, have you felt different?"

"Different? What do you mean, different?" Stella asked as she pulled Bofur back onto the path.

"I don't know. It just…" Zo sounded frustrated. "The air in here feels like home. That's the best way I can put it."

Despite his vagueness, Stella did understand what Zo was talking about. Since arriving in Middle-Earth, the air did feel slightly thinner than what Stella was used to but it was nothing to make her complain. If anything, it seemed to give her little spurts of energy that she never felt at home. She definitely would not have been able to run for as long as she did at home like she had been in Middle-Earth. It was curious but not enough to make her think about it.

Yet when she did think about it, due to Zo's statement, it was bizarre how the air felt just right in Mirkwood. It was the environment surrounding the Company that scared her but it didn't invade her lungs like it seemed to the dwarves. More than once she had caught a few of them huffing before they roughly shook their head and continued on like nothing ever happened. It was with a heavy heart that she had to stop them from drinking all the water to compensate for their difficulty breathing.

Stella reached the borders of the Enchanted River before anybody else did. She had left Bofur in Bilbo's capable hands to lead the Company. While Fili had done his best to keep his head, he had become just as affected by the air as everyone else. It took all Stella and Zo had not to share guilty and concerned glances when Fili gasped at them to take the lead in following the path. The two of them took turns so that one would lead and the other would linger at the back of the Company to make sure nobody wandered off.

On a day that it was Stella's turn, her staff came in particularly good use. It didn't chink against the stone path like Dwalin's axe did but it was handy enough to get rid of any debris in the road. The dark river blended in so well with the darkness of the earth that Stella would have fallen right in if it weren't for the end of her staff sinking into the water with a light splash first. It was not the first time Stella would silently thank Elladan and Elrohir for their gift and it would not be the last. She stared down at the black water with one foot in the dirt and the other on the crumbling bridge.

"This is the river I told you about," she said out loud. "Comas and amnesia - that's all this water will bring you if you touch it."

There was no need for her to shout. Even with their gasping and hallucinations, it was always aching quiet with the Company.

Fili stepped up beside her and blinked stubbornly a few times. "How do we cross?"

She hummed to herself. "In one way, we climb a tree whose vines cross the water. In the other, there's a boat on the other side that we pull over and take turns crossing."

Fili turned around. "Find the tree or the boat. Quickly!"

At the sound of express orders, the Company shook their heads to clear their minds. A few even slapped their faces to hurry the process. Bifur was the most effective because he grabbed Bombur and banged their foreheads together. Bombur took the action with grace and merely toddled away after to follow his orders.

It was with a slight grimace on Stella's face when they found the vines instead of the boat.

"I don't know if this preferable or not," she remarked honestly.

"We'll send the lightest first to test their strength," Fili said, causing everyone to turn to look at Bilbo, who merely looked at them crossly in return.

"How about we send the person who knows how to handle shaky situations like this?" Stella offered, although she was already halfway across one vine before anybody realized what she was doing.

"Stella, my girl," Bofur called out, sounding more like himself than he had in days.

"I'll be okay, sweetie," she called back assuredly as she lightly stepped across a narrow branch.

"Stella, I could have- I should have gone first," Bilbo spoke up and she could imagine him wringing his hands without having to look at him.

"There's not a problem here, Bilbs," she said. It was only when she took another step and the vine abruptly shifted so she fell and caught herself hanging upside-down by her knees that she said lightly, "Well, now there is."

Stella stuck her tongue out at her reflection in the dark water before found that the tip of her braid was trailing in the river. She hurriedly tied her hair in a hasty bun while she was still upside-down. When she righted herself back up, she wrinkled her nose at Zo. Bofur had one foot on a vine and looked ready to dart across the vines to follow her.

"Don't be hasty, Master Bofur," she said deeply, in reminiscence of her favorite Ent, before she spoke again in her normal voice while she prepared herself to keep going. "Keep them back from following, will you, Zo?"

Even though he looked ready to follow himself at the sight of her near fall, Zo muttered, "Who would be fucking dumb enough to follow if they aren't sure it's safe yet?"

She glanced back behind her and laughed. More than a few dwarves had yanked their twitching hands and feet away from the vines upon Zo's words.

"You'd be surprised."

"I'm going to die among idiots." Zo didn't bother lowering his voice that time.

Stella didn't bother answering. Instead, she put all of her attention in trying not to fall as she lightly jumped from one vine to another. Her heart skipped when she almost missed it because she went just a bit too far. The extra few inches she managed, however, gave her enough of an adrenaline rush to run across the last few feet in quick and panicked steps until she landed roughly in the dirt. She hissed in pain when small rocks tore at her forearms and knees. She blew off the sting with a furious shake of her head. She wiped her knees after she stood up and turned around to find Zo holding Bofur and Nori back by the scruffs of their shirts in one hand and Kili and Bifur in the other.

"Okay, come on over," she called back before remembering to stress, "One at a time! And for fuck's sake, do _not_ touch the water!"

Zo deftly managed to release just Kili and encouraged the youngest dwarf to make his way over the water with only a sharp tilt of his head.

Despite their moments of dubious sanity, the dwarves proved to still be observant. Kili took the exact same steps that Stella did and even avoided the areas where she had trouble. In a small amount of time, Stella was joined by Kili, Thorin, Dwalin, Bofur, and Nori. There was almost a small spat when Stella insisted that Bombur was next. While many dwarves argued that Bombur was too fat and may break the vines for everyone else, all were quelled by seething glares from Stella and Zo. Everyone ignored Stella's proud and triumphant smile when Bombur proved that he was just as capable as the others, even if it took him a bit longer. The rest quickly followed. Fili and Zo had a small stare-off when it came to the two of them being the last to cross. With a heaving sigh, Zo conceded defeat and joined Stella. Zo's feet had barely touched the ground on the other side when Fili began his journey across.

When Fili had joined the Company and everyone made a move to continue on, Stella piped up, "I vote we wait here for a few moments longer."

"Why's that?" Fili asked.

"You never know when a Patronus will run by," she answered with a flippant wave of her hand and ignored Zo's scoff. "By the way, shooting weapons at a Patronus is bad luck, Thorin."

"Why is everything you protest against directed at me?" Thorin almost sounded offended.

"Because you make questionable decisions," Stella immediately answered.

"I do not!" he objected. Now he actually did sound offended.

"Must we remind you of that time you rushed off alone to fight orcs that horribly outnumbered you only a few weeks ago?" Bilbo dryly retorted.

Stella pursed her lips in an attempt to keep herself from grinning at Thorin's exasperated glare towards the hobbit. Fili and Kili playfully added in their own examples of Thorin's bad decisions but a line had to be drawn when Thorin was seriously ganged up on by Balin and Dwalin. Whatever angry retort he had reserved for the four of them was cut off by the sound of galloping hooves.

Out of the darkness came a stag. It was white as clouds against the sky on a bright day and displayed a sense of majesty that took Stella's breath away. It leapt across the thick roots of the trees before halting a few dozen meters from the Company to stare at them. As Thorin slowly began to raise his bow, Stella leaned over and nimbly took the arrow from between his fingers to lightly hit him over the head with it.

Thorin snapped out of his daze to glare at her. "What was that for?"

She pointed at him. "Thorin." She pointed over at the stag. "Patronus." She waved between them with the arrow. "Bad idea."

"Yeah, man, leave the deer alone," Zo mumbled sleepily from behind them. "What's it ever done to you?"

"Excellent question, Lorenzo," Stella nodded before addressing the rest of them. "Anybody shoots at a deer and reserve my right to hit you. Let's carry on."

Before anybody could grumble, the stag's ears perked up and it quickly turned to bound away. Stella adjusted her backpack with pursed lips as everyone started at the sound of a blowing horns and baying dogs in the distance. In a normal forest, the Company should have been able to see whichever hunting party was beyond the trees. Of course, they all knew Mirkwood was not a normal forest.

A few days later brought a confrontation that put Stella's teeth on edge. After Nori pointed out the huge desire to take a break, Fili finally relented and everyone set their bags down to rest against the large trees. The beech trees allowed in a bit of wind that raised the Company's spirits but brought them little joy. The noise of the wind had a sad sound that alerted everyone of the fluttering of leaves. Durin's Day was approaching faster than anticipated.

What did bring two people happiness were the small slivers of light that broke through the trees' canopies. For the first time in three weeks, Stella and Bofur could properly see each other's face. She pressed shaking fingertips to his cheeks as he took a step forward to lightly touch his forehead to hers. When he leaned back to properly look at her, he took off one glove to smooth down her mussed up braid. He gifted her with a whiskered kiss to her cheeks as he murmured words she didn't understand but still warmed her heart. Her smile seemed more genuine in that moment that it had in over a month. She left a gentle kiss on his lips before she tilted her head down to rest on his shoulder as he held her in his arms.

The dwarves were speaking loudly but slowly as they questioned their location and what day it was. Stella was rudely shaken out of her near dozing state by Thorin when he pushed past her to guide the Company the other direction. A direction which Stella knew veered off the stone path.

Zo had the same thoughts as she did as he pulled Thorin back by the scruff of his coat. "Whoa, whoa! Where do you think you're going?"

Thorin roughly shook out of Zo's grasp. "Do not question me! Follow me!"

Stella quickly darted out in front of him to push Thorin back by his shoulders. "That's going off the path!"

"Do as I say!" he persisted as he tried to get around her.

"Fili!" Stella turned to look at the dwarf who was blinking hard to get his wits up. "Thorin said you're in charge. So do we follow the path that will guide us out or do we blindly follow your uncle who is notorious for his bad decisions?"

"Thorin," Fili started tiredly.

"Are you all undermining my decision?" Thorin began to huff up.

"Did we or did we not have a conversation only a week ago about making good choices?" Stella rhetorically asked in exasperation. "Does going off a path in an enchanted forest really seem like a good choice to you?"

"Out of my way!" Thorin tried to push past her as he ignored her words.

Stella bristled before she whirled around to face Fili. "Permission to cash in my allowance to smack Thorin?"

Fili furrowed his brow at her. "Nobody gave you an allowance to hit people."

"We're starting one now," she said through clenched teeth.

Fili's tired eyes briefly lit up with amusement before he delicately shouldered past her to speak at Thorin's ear. Thorin responded in hisses that did not sound particularly friendly but Fili never faltered. The tense conversation lasted only a few moments but it resulted in Thorin slumping his shoulders and following Fili's guiding hand back onto the path.

Stella lifted her chin to gaze at the tree balcony above her in an attempt to not listen to the words passing her by but she could not help but hear a few things.

"…allow me to make you and _amad_ proud," Fili told Thorin gently as they walked back to the front of the Company.

Thorin softened before he placed a firm hand on Fili's shoulder. "You always make us proud, _irakdashat_. Never doubt that."

Stella wished she could say that was the last of the confrontations in Mirkwood but the same occurred only two days later. The Company reached a valley of oak trees that only seemed to frustrate the dwarves further. The past two days had only raised their ire when they caught faint voices on the wind. There were singing voices in the distance that was beautiful but not comforting. If anything, Stella had the vague feeling that they were being laughed at.

"Is there no end to this accursed forest?" Thorin spat.

"I would feel better if I at least knew what day it was," Dori said morosely as he sat against a large tree root.

"Probably the first week of August," Stella shrugged.

"Never mind that!" Dwalin snapped. "We have to keep heading east."

"But which way is east?" Oin said absently as he slowly stumbled in circles.

"We have to find the sun," Bilbo nearly whispered.

Fili managed to hear because he immediately called out, "Of course! Bilbo and Stella will climb the tallest tree and look around to see which direction we should go."

"Will I?" Stella repeated affronted.

"Come on, Stell," Zo coaxed as he leaned an arm over Kili's head.

"It'll be fine, my darling girl," Bofur kissed her cheek.

She peered at him from the corner of her eye before sighing. "Fine, but I want your hat."

"Done," he smiled before he took off his lovely hat and placed it upon her head.

Stella straightened it out before throwing her shoulders back in determination. "Come on, Bilbs."

Bilbo never had much practice in climbing trees and Stella had been out of practice for years. The dwarves were nice enough to boost them up onto the lowest branches of an enormous oak tree but they were left to their own devices after that. They would take turns pushing one up and pulling the other forward. More than once, Bilbo slipped but Stella was always there to catch him. They had more than a few scraps on their palms and elbows when it was all over.

When they peeked through the leaves at the very top of the trees, Stella immediately tensed and shivered when she felt the all too familiar sensation of tiny legs crawling over her. She shuddered a few times before suddenly lashing out to wipe the small spiders off of her.

"Stella?" came Bilbo's voice. She could almost hear the dwarves shouting up at them but neither of them bothered to answer.

She focused on ridding herself of all the spiders before she clenched at a thick branch. She panted heavily and stubbornly kept her eyes clenched shut. She could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin but she was far too focused on the spiders to revel in the light. When she felt a tentative hand on her arm, she froze and snapped her eyes wide open before immediately wincing and shutting them again. The light had blinded her so she only turned her head towards Bilbo as she tried to squint.

"Are you okay, Stella? They're just spiders."

"I…" She wondered how she could tell him. She never spoke of it even with Zo. He only knew in the same way everyone at their high school knew. It seemed like it was literally everywhere for a few days after it happened but Stella never talked about it. The most she ever managed to get out since then were the few words she shared with Dwalin only a month and a half ago back in Rivendell. Only a month and a half ago…was that all it had been? "I have bad experiences with spiders."

Bilbo looked concerned. It appeared that he was trying to find the right words to say but she doubted he would find them. Nobody ever really knew what to say. He finally decided on asking, "What about butterflies?"

She slightly tilted her head. "What?"

He made a small sweeping gesture in front of them. She turned to look and found what the spiders were really after. The sun was shining brightly and all around them were hundreds of butterflies. There were more butterflies than Stella had ever seen in her entire life. They were bright in color, a vibrant blue, and blanketed over all of the trees. Some flitted about excitedly but many merely waved their wings lazily. Together, Stella and Bilbo stared at the butterflies for a long time and enjoyed the feeling of wind and light. However, their moment was interrupted by the cries of the dwarves below. Stella pulled away from where she was unaware she was resting her cheek on Bilbo's head to look about. In most directions, there was nothing but forest. Yet in another only a few miles off, there was a river leading to a large lake. Beyond that was the rising mountain that Stella knew had to be Erebor.

With one last wistful gaze at the sky, Stella removed Bofur's hat from her head and caught one of the butterflies inside. She kept it closed enough for the butterfly to remain but opened enough that it could receive air. The descent from the tree went slower than the climb up and the dwarves were still ever grumbling by the time Stella's and Bilbo's feet touched the ground. But their ire vanished momentarily when Stella gathered them around and opened the flaps of the hat. The butterfly flitted about the heads of each dwarf before it ascended back up into the light. Each face was filled with hopeful longing and for the first time in ages, nobody had any grumblings to offer.

Even though everybody was still gazing up in the direction the butterfly had flown away to long after it had disappeared, Stella knew she had to keep them going.

"We're only a few miles off. A few more days that way," she pointed east.

"Good job, Stella," Fili beamed at her. "You, as well, Bilbo."

Bilbo nodded appreciatively as everyone shouldered their packs again.

"Say, Stella," Kili spoke up. "Whatever happened to those spiders you were talking about?"

She tensed before asking airily, "What do you mean?"

"Where are they?" he asked. "Haven't seen an inch of them or where they could be, haven't we?"

Her eyebrows came together as she turned to stare at him. "Are you serious?"

"What?" His head switched back and forth from her, Bilbo, and Zo, who had also looked at him incredulously.

"Kili, look around," Zo waved a hand at the bushes and trees. "There are webs all over the place."

At once, everyone in the Company began gazing upon the thick webs as if they had never seen them before. Stella should not have been surprised. Everyone had been so out of their wits that she was more astonished that they remembered their own names. She was so occupied with shaking her head at everyone that she almost missed Dori stretching out a hand.

"No, no, no!" she reached out to try to stop him but she was too late. Dori had flicked a thick strand of the web with one of his fingers and the reverberations were bouncing up into the leaves and faded into the darkness.

Dori blinked once and stared at her as he swayed on the spot. He viciously shook his head before he looked at her in shame. "I'm sorry, Miss Villanueva."

"Was that bad?" Dwalin asked warily as he lifted one of his axes.

"They know we're here," Stella spoke softly as she rubbed a hand over her face. "I'm fairly sure they know now."

"Will they be watching us?" Thorin whispered, as if the spiders were already there.

"Yes," she answered as she looked up. "Unless they're already doing so."

"Be ready," Thorin turned to address the Company.

That set the tone for the next few hours. The intensity of the air was more unbearable that it ever had been. Bofur did not allow Stella more than a few feet away from him, neither did Bilbo or Zo. With Bofur holding one hand, Stella had wrapped an arm around Bilbo's thinning shoulders.

"Do me a favor, will you, Bilbo?" she asked him.

"Yes?"

"Keep your sword close at hand."

She could feel more than see him peering up at her curiously. "Do you really think I can handle this?"

"Hey, you're a hobbit of the Shire," she gently knocked a fist against the side of his head. "You can do anything. I believe in you."

Bilbo had nothing to say that. Nor did anybody else have any words to speak. At least not until well into the evening of the next day. Out of the darkness came a red light and the sound of tinkling laughter. Then came another red light and another and another beside the first. It was warm and welcoming. It was also far away from the path that Stella and Zo had worked so hard keeping thirteen dwarves and a hobbit on.

"Stella?" Fili didn't have to ask her what he wanted to know.

"Elven celebrations. Festival of Starlight, I think it's called."

"Will they help us?" Ori asked.

"Or at least give us water?" Oin nearly panted from his thirst. Despite her warnings, they had run out of water a day or two previous. Stella tried not to think about it.

"No," she answered honestly. "Take one step onto the grounds and all the lights will go out and you'll be left floundering by yourself in the dark. And off the path, if I must remind you."

"What do we do?" Gloin turned to look at Balin and Thorin.

Balin looked at Thorin, who deferred to Fili. Fili grimaced but lifted an eyebrow at Balin and Stella. "Balin, you're the royal family's advisor and Stella, you're the Company's Seer. What do you suggest?"

"Stay on the path, of course!" Stella said immediately.

"Yes, we know it's important. But we do need water," Balin calmly reminded her.

"And we also need to stay on the path," she stressed again impatiently. "If we leave the path, that'll just lead to darkness and spiders."

"And the path leads to…" Zo trailed off.

"The way out?" Stella finished, uncertain of what point he was trying to make.

"Have you actually…Seen…that the path is completely safe?" he asked.

As all the faces turned to look at her, Stella couldn't help but feel a little betrayed. Zo knew how limited her knowledge was. Why would he basically force her to admit that she couldn't figure out everything in front of everyone?

"That's not fair," she shook her head.

"Wait, so is this path even safe?" Nori immediately caught on.

"Have you even Seen where this path goes?" Gloin added.

Before the others could crowd around her, Dwalin shouted, "Enough!" Once everyone calmed down, he turned gentler towards her but only slightly. "Well, lass? Might as well say it now."

She gave him the same betrayed look she threw Zo. She desperately hung on to the hand that Bofur comfortingly ran down her arm. "I only See two ways. Both end with us getting caught by spiders, captured by elves, thrown into dungeons, and then escaping by hiding in barrels that go down the river into Lake-town. And that's because in both situations, nobody was smart enough to stay on the path!"

"And you didn't bother to tell anybody about this?" Thorin crossed his arms. "I was hoping you would be more upfront about these things, Stella."

"Well, excuse me for wanting to avoid all that bullshit," she flicked her hair angrily behind her. "I was trying to keep my friends safe by _staying on the path_."

"Making such decisions isn't up to you," Thorin tried to tell her.

"So everything I know is just supposed to be yours to do what you will?" she scoffed. "I don't think so."

"Stella," Zo sighed.

"Don't talk to me." Stella wouldn't look at him. Instead, she kept her gaze on Thorin. "Besides, what exactly would have been your grand plan anyway? I can already tell you what your options are: step into the elves campsite, fight the spiders off, or stay on the path. So, sorry for not being sorry for taking the initiative and choosing the safest option."

"And I appreciate that you are so concerned for everyone's safety but the initiative wasn't yours to take," Thorin continued to stress.

"Fine!" she threw up her hands in frustration with the slightest bit of hysteria to her voice. "You do it, then. You won't hear another thing about what I See since you're just going to insist on doing the stupid thing anyway."

With that, she sat down on a lowered branch with a huff. Despite all efforts to get Stella to speak again, she merely crossed her arms and obstinately stared ahead. Zo stayed at one of her sides until she groaned and walked away from him so she would be on the other side of the Company. A small part of her felt a little guilty for also ignoring Bofur so she held out her hand in the air until she felt his hand firmly grasp hers. He ignored her stubbornness and pulled her towards him with a small tug before tucking her head into his neck.

After much debate, it was finally decided between Fili and Thorin. "We will approach the elves and ask for assistance. No rushing forward and nobody come out of hiding until I say. Bilbo will go in first."

Stella wasn't a good enough person to keep her angriest thoughts out of her head.

She was almost the last to step off the stone blocks that made the path. With a slap to Zo's hands that reached out to pull her forward, she stomped away from them to follow everyone else. She didn't bother crouching down into the bushes as everyone else did when they got close enough to the fires. While everyone was gazing upon the elves dressed in green and brown, she leaned against a tree trunk and stared out between the trees. When Bilbo hesitantly stepped out into the light, she stood there and tapped her fingers against her crossed arm. When the darkness descended upon them, she stood still as she felt everyone running around her and yelling out each other's names. She could hear a few yelling out her own name but she found herself unwilling to answer.

When another red light arrived in the distance, Stella huffed again and trenched toward it. She knew it would only be a matter of time before the others arrived. She stood by and caught a glimpse of Thranduil on a throne made of carved branches. He lazily leaned back as he sipped from a silver goblet. His crown of woven leaves tilted further down his forehead the lower he slipped down his throne. A movement from the other side of the campsite caught Stella's attention. She managed to capture a brief glance of Thorin and a few elves lunging forward before all the lights went out.

With a roll of her eyes, Stella trudged forward. She walked further and further in the darkness with only the sounds of her angry grumblings to keep her company. She was so irritated that she almost forgot her fear. It wasn't until she stumbled over a sticky substance that she remembered why she was so afraid to step off the path.

Later, she would viciously scold herself for being so involved with her anger that she missed the sharp fangs that stabbed her in the stomach and forced her into the deepest sleep.

* * *

**Khuzdul translation:  
**Amad – mother  
Irakdashat – nephew

**A/N:** I don't think the entirety of Mirkwood was enchanted, like the movies seemed to convey. There's an essay that theorizes that Middle-Earth has a higher oxygen level than our world, which is the reason why the race of Men were able to perform spectacular feats. I wanted to convey that this is so of Middle-Earth in my story but Mirkwood is not completely included in this. The lower oxygen levels in various parts of Mirkwood would deeply affect the dwarves but not Stella and Zo. I hope this makes sense.


	19. Chapter 19

Stella had met David Kester late in her freshman year of high school. He was perfect in ways only her fourteen-year-old self could understand. He was tall and brunette and his voice cracked when he laughed. She had been roaming the halls during her lunch break with her friends when she quite literally bumped into him. They exchanged their apologies and there was no hiding their shameless roaming glances over each other's figure. It was through the mechanisms of their friends that they continued to bump into each other until they finally exchanged phone numbers. By the summer before their sophomore year, David and Stella were a couple.

Stella was elated and it didn't take any time for her to proclaim to her exasperated parents that she had found her first Somebody. They had been telling her since her childhood that she would find many but she was adamant that David would be her only, her forever Somebody. Telma was happy for her and her parents only shook their heads. Only Ruth persisted that first Somebodies don't always last like Stella thought they did.

At the time, Stella was very much annoyed with her older sister. Didn't Ruth understand that what she and David had was special? He introduced her to his parents, he brought her flowers for no reason, and he would hold her in his arms when his friends were around. He would help her with his homework and she would help him with his. Whenever she had friends around, he was always kind enough to them. He would go with her to the beach and they would spend hours out in the water. And, most importantly, he would tell her he loved her and he called her his star of the sea.

They weren't without their faults. Even she could admit that then. Sometimes he would hold her arms a little too tight and he would glare a little too harshly at her guy friends. Sometimes she would overhear his friends say bad things about her behind her back and she would be incensed that he never stood up for her but he always apologized. Even if he still never stood up for her after, he would always apologize.

It would take her years for her to realize that these things were not okay. A part of her forgave him anyway in the years after. But what she never forgave him for was how he talked to other girls.

It was in their junior year that David started saying what she wasn't allowed to do. The most repeated statement was, "Babe, don't you love me? So why do you always hang with all those other guys?"

Her response was always, "If I stop hanging out with my guy friends, you have to stop hanging out with your girl friends."

He never liked that and he never stopped hanging out with those girls.

There were two in particular that always got on Stella's nerves, even if she did her best to ignore it. They had been friends with David since middle school and one of them had always had a thing for him. So it came as no surprise that they were always antagonistic towards Stella. At first, they did little things that she could tolerate. One would call her names behind her back, the other would flirt with David right in front of Stella. One would push her into walls, the other would take her things. Their antics became more and more aggressive but Stella never said a word. Ruth would raise a brow at Stella's increasing anxiety and Telma had more than a few words to say about the growing bruises on Stella's sides. Even Uri, who was only eleven at the time, offered to "set those girls right" for her since she was too passive to do it. To the present day, Stella wasn't sure how to feel that her younger brother would defend her because she was "passive".

The worst thing those girls ever did occurred at a party. Stella had shown up with David and his friends, which always included the girls. She had passed Ruth but they only exchanged simple nods without any words. The night had passed as well as it could have. David had been drinking and trying to coax Stella into doing the same. His friends had scattered. When Stella had left David's side long enough to go to the restroom, the girls cornered her.

Despite what they had always said and done to her, Stella never had any qualms with them. She took their bullying with ease. Perhaps it was naïve of her to believe that if she was patient and polite long enough, they could be friends. So when they asked her to follow them outside, she didn't question them.

"We just feel so horrible over how we've been treating you," they had said. "Let's talk in the back."

It was nice. They took a few circuits around the backyard just talking. Around the fourth turn about the yard, one of them had abruptly shoved her into the unbearably small shed. Stella stumbled on the few shovels and rakes but said nothing. By that time, she had been used to their antics. But she wasn't used to them locking her in an enclosed space. She had halfheartedly banged on the closed door and pushed her weight on it so it would open but to no avail. She could hear the party through the thin metal of the shed. She could even hear them whispering. She had pressed an ear to the door to listen better.

"Are you sure we should do this?"

"I'm tired of seeing this freak around David. Of course we should do this."

"We could get into a lot of trouble."

"Worth it to hear this bitch scream."

The other squealed.

"God, this is so gross."

"Just get rid of them and let's go!"

Stella jumped back when the small window at the very top of the door opened from the outside. The yellow light from the back patio shined dimly and revealed a slender hand that lifted a small red bucket. The bucket hovered over Stella's head for a moment before it suddenly dropped. Stella had cried out at the pain on the top of her head and inwardly cursed herself for not moving away. She had thought the bucket carried water. It wouldn't be the first time the girls had thrown something at her. But when she felt the fluttering sensation covering her arms, she began to panic. And when she felt something moving down her shirt and more than a few things biting at her arms, she began to scream.

She could distinctly recall the sound of laughter. When she fell back and landed on rake that imbedded itself in her leg and she screamed even louder, she could hear them running away. Even when she started crying uncontrollably, she never stopped screaming.

There were a few bangs on the outside of the shed before she heard a loud scraping noise - the skidding metal on concrete. The yellow light flooded into the shed and a few arms reached in like gods. But they reared back when they felt all the spiders crawling all over her. She was still screaming.

Yet over the sound of her own screams came another.

"That's my sister! If you're going to be useless, get out of the way!"

Stella only stopped screaming when she felt familiar, warm hands calmly brushing away the spiders like she was merely brushing off dirt. She blinked through her tears as she faced the light. Her legs jolted violently as she still felt spiders crawling over her. Even when she could no longer feel her legs, she could swear they were still twitching. Her lower lip quivered as she stared into the concerned face of her older sister.

Stella whimpered, "_Ate, huwag mo kong iwan dito sa dilim_."  
"Sister," she had said, "please don't leave me here in the dark."

Despite the tears forming in her sister's own eyes, Ruth kept hers back as she wiped away the ones that trailed down into Stella's hair. "_Hindi kita iiwan. Aalagaan kita_."  
"I won't," Ruth promised. "I won't. I will take care of you."

When the lights in the dark began to blur together, Stella knew something was wrong. Sometimes she remembered the sound of the other kids around her but she never heard David's voice. She could barely recall somebody calling the police and she had long since forgotten her time in the hospital, with the exception of her sisters' hands in hers.

She vaguely remembered some officers coming into her hospital room and she identified who locked her in the shed. When those girls had been taken away during school, everyone knew. She did remember being called a snitch at school, amongst other things. She remembered her story being on the news and people staring at school. She purposefully made herself forget the names of the girls who did her wrong as they weren't worth remembering. But she always remembered David.

David never called her after that party. He would barely look at her after except to grimace at the scars left on her body after she scratched her skin raw while the spider bites were healing. He stopped bringing her flowers and he stopped holding her.

When she finally felt like she was ready to be out in public again only a month later, David had said she cried too much. David had said to get over it already.

David had said nobody could love a girl with scars.

He said that after she caught him kissing some other girl in front of everybody at yet another party. So Stella walked out, called her dad on her cell, and her parents picked her up late at night. A week later, Stella had the final stone of her necklace.

Even if she didn't want to, Stella would always remember David and the darkness and the spiders.

* * *

The air was stifling when Stella woke up. As she wriggled her nose to be rid of the tickling sensation, she was overcome with the excruciating pain in her stomach. When she realized how sluggish her movement were, her eyes shot open and her sight was immediately filled with a blurred whiteness. Her throat was dry and each quickened breath brought pain but she could not bring herself to breathe deeply. Her arms were twitching fiercely and she let out a terrified whimper when something bumped her side.

In the muffled whiteness, she thought she heard Bilbo's murmuring but it brought her no comfort. She wanted to tell him to let her free but the words weren't forming. As the numbness slowly receded from her upper body, she tried to move her jaw around to speak to him. Although she knew her lips were moving, no sound came out. She felt Bilbo's small hand pat her arms as he moved something underneath her. When she began to gently fall, the sudden lurch made her queasy and also made her realize that she was hanging upside down.

When she landed on the floor, she flailed around in the dirt. Her legs still could not move and the webbing was lodged in her mouth. Stella jumped when hands were placed on her person but she was glad when the hands ripped the cobwebs off of her.

Stella immediately stumbled to her feet before falling back over when her body remembered that the numbness had not dissipated from her lower half yet. She ignored the stinging sensation in her legs as her body tried to get the blood flower again as she frantically tore the remaining webs off her clothes. Her breathing was coming in lighter and there were voices in her ear and the feeling of wisps never left her arms. In the back of her mind, she knew she should have been acknowledging somebody but all she saw was the thing crawling over the logs.

Was she supposed to be quiet? She couldn't remember. So she pointed at the thing and screamed.

There was action around her and a part of her felt like a chicken running around without its head. She kept bumping into things and people and more things. The noise was so loud. There was metal and crunching and - oh, God - there was squishing. But as she kept running, trying to get away from the things, the noise thankfully dulled to nothing.

She was breathing so fast. The only sound was her breathing. Until it wasn't. There was a crunch behind her. Stella turned around. And she screamed.

* * *

When Zo landed on the ground, the first thing he did after ripping the webs from his face and extremities was grab the sword on his back. He ignored the cobwebs hanging from his hair and clothes as he spun around. He counted a few dwarves but once he heard the hatted dwarf wondering where the hobbit dude and Stella were, his heart dropped. His girl, where the _fuck_ was his girl, where _was_ she?

He heard her before he saw her but, for fuck's sake, he couldn't reach her when she was all the way over _there_. He only took one small step towards her but then there was this huge fucking spider that landed right in front of him and dwarves were yelling and Stella was screaming and axes were being thrown. With a grimace and a silent apology, Zo turned away from his girl and drove his sword in between the eyes of that huge fucking spider.

As more and _more_ spiders crawled down from the trees, he felt the bump of Stella running into his back and then she was gone. Every time he even thought about running after her, something else – a certain _thing_ with eight legs – came up to distract him. Then there was a fittingly huge one over the fittingly huge dwarf and as Zo stabbed the back of the spider, the dwarves were grabbing a leg each and they pulled and pulled and pulled until there was a crunch and a squish and the huge fucking spider was dead.

When everyone made sure that _demone dall'inferno _was never breathing again, the red-haired dwarf pulled at him and almost carried him every time Zo dug his heels into the ground. Zo yelled for Stella just as Fili yelled for his brother. More spiders crept down from the trees and the red-haired dwarf grumbled in resentment before he let Zo go. Swords and axes were drawn and Zo spared one last hope that Stella was as far away from those things as possible as he gripped the hilt of the sword tightly in his hand.

Before he can even think of swinging wildly, Elladan's lessons be damned, there was this tall blond dude that _leapt_ through the trees. He swung on the webbing like the fucking show-off Zo guessed he just _had_ to be and killed the spider in front of the tattooed dwarf with ease before he smoothly landed in front of them just to fucking aim an arrow in everyone's faces. Then he had to make some snide remark and oh, Zo _knew_ he was right. Of course they were saved by a fucking show-off, _of_ _course_.

Zo had thrown his sword to the ground before he was ordered to. Because Zo only ever did things on his terms and it was better that he lowered his weapon on his decision and not because some blond gymnast told him to. Just as the people surrounding them walked in closer, there was a shout beyond the trees and Fili yelled his brother again. There was some rustling and then Kili was pushed back into the group by another gymnast.

Zo let out a disgusted sigh as the elf closest to him began pulling the weapons off him but as the elf almost reached the ones on his waist, there was another familiar shrill scream. Zo shoved the hands on him away to whirl around towards the sound and his heart stopped when the scream cut off suddenly.

Evidently, there was no expectation for him to run away so when Zo _rushed_ towards Stella, it was not until he was over a ridge that one of them leaped for him. As quick as he could, Zo spun around to grab the elf's bow and used it to spin him around and toss him back. He could hear the elves behind him but he couldn't fucking care _less_ for those gymnasts.

Especially not when he saw a huge _fucking_ spider crawling over his girl at the base of the tree. Throwing knives were nowhere near as effective as swords or arrows but Zo only had one goal: get Stella away from that thing. So he threw as accurately as he could under the circumstances, not caring where the knives landed as long he made the damn thing _bleed_. Besides, the elves behind him could do his dirty work. As a wave of arrows launched behind him towards the thing, Zo slid on one leg and pushed the thing off his girl.

He had never seen Stella so pale. Compared to the growing-in darkness of her hair, the contrast was startling. There were bruises forming above her right brow and blood was dripping down her cheek from cuts on her face. The scratches on her arms were grossly red and inflamed and couldn't be from anything but her own fingernails. But the most obvious and _sickening_ wound was the pool of blood coming from Stella's stomach.

The tunic had ripped away from her skin to reveal two deep puncture marks that were too close together. Galadriel never said how horrible this would get. Zo felt cheated. He felt angry. And, worse, he felt lost. As his shaky hands hovered over the grotesque wound, Zo turned to the elves that were barely turning around to see the girl on the ground.

As one took a step forward, Zo gathered his girl in his arms and stood up quickly to take them a step back. "Don't touch her. Get the _fuck_ away from her."

There was musical murmuring and with every step forward one of those brunette gymnasts took, Zo brought himself and Stella back. The elf cautiously lifted both of her hands in the air, showing she had lowered her weapons. She ensured Zo was keeping eye contact as she told him with a tilted accent as slight as Stella's, "We can help her. We will ensure she will get medical aid. But you must allow us first."

He wasn't sure if the heartbeat he was hearing was his own or maybe it was just echoing from each pump of blood that was being drained from Stella's stomach. He could feel the warmth of her blood dripping down his tunic.

"I carry her. She's _mine_. Just take me where I need to go," Zo demanded.

"Of course," the elf acquiesced. He didn't care for her too calm tone but it was better than a negative one.

So he followed the elves back, making some absent-minded remark for them to pick up his knives, and ignored how all the dwarves called out for his girl. But while the elves guided them away and one pressed a clean cloth into Stella's wound, Zo thought he heard the whispered inquiry of where Stella's hobbit friend was at.

* * *

**Tagalog translations:  
**Ate – Older sister  
Huwag mo kong iwan dito sa dilim. – Please don't leave me here in the dark.  
Hindi kita iiwan. Aalagaan kita. – I won't. I will take care of you.

**Italian translations:  
**demone dall'inferno – demon from hell

* * *

**A/N:** Aca-awkward. It's been a long time. I found my will to write again but bummer, it's for a Harry Potter fanfic this time. Will do my best to figure out what I'm doing with this one but I'll make no promises.

Anyway, now you all know why Stella is so terrified of spiders. At first, I wondered if it might be too unrealistic. But then I remembered that young girls have done far more horrible things for far stupider reasons.

Bee-tee-dubz, claiming a person doesn't necessarily always mean a romantic attachment ;)

As always, huge thanks to AwkwardlyQuietThespian for the Tagalog translations.


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